Tag: QT

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QTVOTD: Well done…and now here is a crown…

I spent my quiet time with the Lord today on just this one verse. My Life Verse (Passage) is Psalms 1:1-3 which also starts out with “Blessed is the man…” so I feel compelled to dwell here a little bit.

"Blessed (happy, to be envied) is the man who is patient under trial and stands up under temptation, for when he has stood the test and been approved, he will receive [the victor’s] crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him." James 1:12 [AMP]
  • Blessed is the man…
    • …who is patient under trial – What this says to me is, “Not my timing but God’s timing”. I think we can rush to quickly to use our own means to rush out of or fix a trial; not leaning on God to 1) bring us through it and 2) being patient to learn what God is teaching us in it. I think that sometimes we forget to look at how God’s hand is moving in our trail; what He is doing in the midst of our trial. Missing opportunities to observe God at work which in turn grows our faith.
    • …who stands up under temptation – In most translations, temptation is not used but the Greek word ‘peirasmos’ can mean either ‘Trial’ or ‘Temptation’, so I am glad that the Amplified includes this. Standing up under temptation to me is turning away (a 180-degree turn) when confronted with a temptation. Praying when an impure thought comes into my mind, looking away immediately when I see something that can spark a lustful thought, saying no and walking away when I am tempted to buy something I don’t need.

When he has stood the test AND been approved – To me this is a combination of behavior modification and a condition of a man’s heart toward God. It is not enough to quickly look away from an image that can produce a lustful thought; it is also to bear one’s mind away from reliving what little I did see, or letting my mind run further with the lustful thinking of what I may have missed after I turned away. God’s focus is on my heart more than my actions. When I am focused on pleasing Him, then my heart will be a heart that has no place for fleshly thinking or pursuits.

…he will receive [the victor’s] crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him – The reward for passing the test and being approved is that the man receives a crown of life. What does that mean??? The best thing I can think of is that it is gift given at the same time my Savior says, “Well done, my good and faithful servant!” When I pursue pleasing God more than man in my life here on earth, I will receive a recognition of managing this life well. The crown does not save the man, but it is a recognition of choices, actions, and heart condition the man has achieved while here ‘under the sun’.

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QTVOTD: Earthly comfort does not equal Heavenly reward…

Very busy day today with work, managing the littles (Brooklyn[3] & Prim[6]), Homecoming Football game which was also my eldest’s (Bella[18]) last football cheerleading game, and all of us being under the weather somewhat. I realized that I am getting old…things are harder than they used to be and I get tired faster.

However, today’s quiet time (although late) was wonderful – James 1:9-11

9 Let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his elevation [as a Christian, called to the true riches and to be an heir of God],

10 And the rich [person ought to glory] in being humbled [by being shown his human frailty], because like the flower of the grass he will pass away.

11 For the sun comes up with a scorching heat and parches the grass; its flower falls off and its beauty fades away. Even so will the rich man wither and die in the midst of his pursuits.

This passage has been a bit of a controversy across scholars and theologians for quite some time.  Some believe that the “poor” people referenced are believers and the “rich” are unbelievers, but for me, this just doesn’t hold water when you look at the context of the rest of James’ writing.

Instead, I think James is talking about two different types of believers, and what they should hold fast to. The poor only have the Lord because of their status in society, lack of belongings, and material things. Where the rich have a lot of earthly comforts, money and status, and need to focus on the humility of being under an Almighty God, and be more like Christ, who humbled himself.  

As Christians in a first world country, we need to keep our relative wealth in check. We must not allow the comfort of our refrigerators, our cozy homes, and our career positions be the thing that keeps us from leaning into the Lord for everything that we are and everything that we need. All of these earthly things will just pass away, so why not focus on the only thing that will last… the providential and sovereign eternal redemption we have through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. 

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QTVOTD: Want Wisdom? Ask for it…

Today was a great day where I prayed about half my way to work. Praying about my own needs of the Lord in my life and the strength to persevere and asking for a louder voice from the Holy Spirit. Multiple times today, stopping and praying, even for the simplest things.

I have a deep desire to constantly be in the presence of the Lord and Bella’s (my oldest) life passage has washed over me.

One thing I ask from the Lord. THIS only do I seek; that I might dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord, and to seek Him in His temple. For in my day of trouble He will keep me safe in His dwelling, He will hide me in the shelter of His sacred tent and set me high upon a rock.

Psalms 27:4&5

Today my Quiet Time passage was James 1:5-8. God is so faithful to give us wisdom when we ask for it but it must come with faith and action on what He delivers in that wisdom…

5 If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him.

This is all the time for me. When I attempt to use my own wisdom, I run the risk of self-sufficiency and the belief that it was my own work that attained a result or reward. Even when I have confidence that I know how to approach something, I still request wisdom from God before acting. It is a personal culture of resting in the will and purposes of a God Who knows all things.


6 Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the billowing surge out at sea that is blown hither and thither and tossed by the wind.

I have found that there are several ways to look at this verse and I should do the word study to get a more contextual understanding of what James was getting at. Most times I see this a believing that God will indeed give me the wisdom and then to act on the wisdom given. If I question the wisdom I have asked for then I am susceptible to choosing another path contrary to that Godly wisdom that has been granted.


7 For truly, let not such a person imagine that he will receive anything [he asks for] from the Lord,

The consequences of doubting that wisdom and questioning the insight the Lord has given, likely means that the faith that begets prayer is weak and not in God in at all…it is a faith in oneself and own thinking that leads them astray. This verse is one of the verses that supports the verse that says, “but seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33


8 [For being as he is] a man of two minds (hesitating, dubious, irresolute), [he is] unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything [he thinks, feels, decides]. James 1:5-8

This verse is pretty self-explanatory. I know people like this -> flighty, indecisive, and in a lot of cases, not trustworthy.

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QTVOTD: A study of James…

Today I am starting a study of James with a dear friend and accountability partner. I will be posting a daily consumption/takeaway from my reading of the day. I had taken ‘another’ break from posting here on the site but when I came here to do a search for a post I made several years ago, I was taken aback by the volume of what I had written…so I am going to get back in the swing of things.

If nothing else, this is a legacy for my wife and kiddos that they can come back to and consume as devotionals or just what God was revealing to their dad on his walk through this life and aspirations to be more like Jesus and Glorify God above all else.

Today’s post — James 1:1-4 [Amplified]

​​1 JAMES, A servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes scattered abroad [among the Gentiles in the dispersion]: Greetings (rejoice)!

The 12 tribes are the dispersed Christ believing Jews scattered throughout the nations.

2 Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations.

When we trust that our obedience to God enables the direction and hand of God to go before us; all trials and temptations should be viewed as opportunities to use that circumstance as a coveted classroom and education on how to more fully serve and bless God. Whether hit with a trial or in the midst of one.

Some versions [AMP] have “falling into temptation” also mentioned. I for one, feel guilt and shame with the pang of thought and enticement regarding temptation. I think what James may be meaning here is that we absolutely should be remorseful and confess our sins, but to be joyful that the Lord allows for opportunity to learn from and grow a strength from God to overcome. THAT -> is exciting and something to be joyful about.

3 Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience.

The more we see God’s grace through His Son played out, the greater our appreciation and trust becomes. We also receive patience with others because we learn our own tendencies to sin and the pain that comes with it.

4 But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing.

Do not downplay the endurance, steadfastness, and patience or we may quench the work God intends to do through these attributes. When we embrace endurance, steadfastness, and patience, we will be transformed into perfectly developed people (as much as we can be in our flesh here on earth), lacking in nothing needed to navigate this sin broken world before our death or Christ’s coming.

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QTVOTD: Sometimes Jesus may just answer unasked questions…

Daily Reading: John 16:17-22

The disciples were murmuring and questioning amongst themselves what Jesus was meaning when He said that ‘in a little while you will no longer see me, and then after a little while you will see me and because I go to see My Father.’ They never asked Jesus, but He knew that they were wondering and trying to comprehend these things that Jesus had said.

Then Jesus, decided to address this question directly, which up until this point Jesus had been using parables to communicate His instruction or answer specific questions.

Jesus let them know that they would grieve now but when they saw Him again, that joy and rejoicing would eclipse the sorrow they had before. He was foretelling the wonderful event of the disciples seeing Him after the resurrection.

The main thing that kind of hit me was the whole aspect that even though the disciples did not ask Jesus (probably out of embarrassment for not being able to comprehend what He was saying), Jesus made the effort to proactively answer their question for them and answered it directly. Jesus always knows the questions I am asking and as I seek Him and those answers in His word (He promises that when I seek Him, I will find Him) Jesus may take the opportunity to just answer.

So some of His disciples questioned among themselves, What does He mean when He tells us, In a little while you will no longer see Me, and again after a short while you will see Me, and, Because I go to My Father? What does He mean by a little while? We do not know or understand what He is talking about. Jesus knew that they wanted to ask Him, so He said to them, Are you wondering and inquiring among yourselves what I meant when I said, In a little while you will no longer see Me, and again after a short while you will see Me? I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that you shall weep and grieve, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. A woman, when she gives birth to a child, has grief (anguish, agony) because her time has come. But when she has delivered the child, she no longer remembers her pain (trouble, anguish) because she is so glad that a man (a child, a human being) has been born into the world. So for the present you are also in sorrow (in distress and depressed); but I will see you again and [then] your hearts will rejoice, and no one can take from you your joy (gladness, delight). John 16:17-22

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QTVOTD: The Work of the Holy Spirit

Daily Reading: John 16:5-16

MAIN TAKEAWAYS:

  • Our initial heart condition is to see our own circumstance and self-impact…first thing we are concerned with is ourselves.
  • We sometimes fail to see what God has in store for us. The Disciples needed to lose Jesus to gain the Holy Spirit/The Comforter.
  • The Holy Spirit well bring conviction and convincing of sin, of righteousness, and judgement to the world. When Jesus returns to the Father, He won’t be there to tell the Jewish people of their sin and the Jewish Leaders failed to see that Jesus was indeed the Messiah that had been promised.
    • The Holy Spirit will convict the world of its sin for their unbelief in Jesus keeps them from the truth that He is their sin bearer and Savior.
    • Because the Jewish people refused to see the righteousness of Jesus as True righteousness, the Holy Spirit would come to reveal the correct righteousness suitable for God the Father.
    • Satan is the ruler of wicked ness and false judgement. The Holy Spirit would come to reveal the correct judgement (not by appearances alone).
  • Because Jesus understood the frailty of His desciples, He did not heap on them everything they needed to know. The Holy Spirit would bring this knowledge in time.
  • The knowledge the Holy Spirit would bring would be the message of the Father, not the Holy Spirit’s. Additionally, the Holy Spirit would reveal what the future holds to the disciples.
  • The Holy Spirit represents the intention and will of the Son.
  • The will of the Father and the will of the Son are one and the same.

But now I am going to Him Who sent Me, yet none of you asks Me, “Where are You going?” But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts [taken complete possession of them]. However, I am telling you nothing but the truth when I say it is profitable (good, expedient, advantageous) for you that I go away. Because if I do not go away, the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you [into close fellowship with you]; but if I go away, I will send Him to you [to be in close fellowship with you]. And when He comes, He will convict and convince the world and bring demonstration to it about sin and about righteousness (uprightness of heart and right standing with God) and about judgment: About sin, because they do not believe in Me [trust in, rely on, and adhere to Me]; About righteousness (uprightness of heart and right standing with God), because I go to My Father, and you will see Me no longer; About judgment, because the ruler (evil genius, prince) of this world [Satan] is judged and condemned and sentence already is passed upon him. I have still many things to say to you, but you are not able to bear them or to take them upon you or to grasp them now. But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will not speak His own message [on His own authority]; but He will tell whatever He hears [from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him], and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come [that will happen in the future]. He will honor and glorify Me, because He will take of (receive, draw upon) what is Mine and will reveal (declare, disclose, transmit) it to you. Everything that the Father has is Mine. That is what I meant when I said that He [the Spirit] will take the things that are Mine and will reveal (declare, disclose, transmit) it to you. In a little while you will no longer see Me, and again after a short while you will see Me. John 16:5-16 AMP

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QTVOTD: Following Jesus will be Hard…

Daily reading: John 16:1-4

Jesus does not pull punches in what we should expect to endure as Christians in this world. Paul carries this torch forward by driving these points home further. Through the New Testament, taking persecution in the name of Jesus becomes a badge of honor, not something to flee from. (Acts 5:40-42)

Expect in some cases to be expelled by those who call themselves Christians. These would be the same Christians who pick and choose what to believe and obey in God’s Word — They don’t truly know the Father or the Son.

​ I HAVE told you all these things, so that you should not be offended (taken unawares and falter or be caused to stumble and fall away). [I told you to keep you from being scandalized and repelled.] They will put you out of (expel you from) the synagogues; but an hour is coming when whoever kills you will think and claim that he has offered service to God. And they will do this because they have not known the Father or Me. But I have told you these things now, so that when they occur you will remember that I told you of them. I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. John 16:1-4

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QTVOTD: Expect to be Persecuted…

Today my time with the Lord was on John 15:18-27. Jesus takes the time here to be REAL with His disciples; on what they can expect from the world after He leaves to be with the Father.

Here are my MAIN TAKEAWAYS (what I call my compiled notes for each day):

  1. We should expect persecution from the world when we show love the Love of Jesus and the Truth of the Word to a watching/critical world.
  2. We do not belong to this world. Jesus has called us and set up apart from the world…Otherwise we would be accepted by the world as being one with it.
  3. Jesus taught that we should expect the same treatment He did; we are not greater than Him (as referenced in John 13:16)
  4. There will be ones of the world who will listen and accept God’s word through our witness and teaching.
  5. Even with the evidence of miracles, the elite Jewish Leadership would not recognize Jesus as the Son of God. This was prophesied in Psalms 35:19 and 69:4.
  6. Thank goodness we have The Spirit of Truth, The Advocate, alive in us (sent by the Father on behalf of Jesus) to testify to the Truth of Jesus and the Father Who sent Him.

If the world hates you, know that it hated Me before it hated you.
If you belonged to the world, the world would treat you with affection and would love you as its own. But because you are not of the world [no longer one with it], but I have chosen (selected) you out of the world, the world hates (detests) you.
Remember that I told you, A servant is not greater than his master [is not superior to him]. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word and obeyed My teachings, they will also keep and obey yours.
But they will do all this to you [inflict all this suffering on you] because of [your bearing] My name and on My account, for they do not know or understand the One Who sent Me.
If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin [would be blameless]; but now they have no excuse for their sin.
Whoever hates Me also hates My Father.
If I had not done (accomplished) among them the works which no one else ever did, they would not be guilty of sin. But [the fact is] now they have both seen [these works] and have hated both Me and My Father.
But [this is so] that the word written in their Law might be fulfilled, They hated Me without a cause.
But when the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby) comes, Whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth Who comes (proceeds) from the Father, He [Himself] will testify regarding Me.
But you also will testify and be My witnesses, because you have been with Me from the beginning. John 15:18-27 AMP

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QTVOTD: The Sustaining Power of Obedience

Today was the day we officially prayed over our apprentices Antony and Irina as they set out to start their own Life Group. My morning quiet time was on John 15:12-17 where Jesus tells His disciples His command for them –> “Love one another as I have loved you.”

This passage was a perfect topic and leading of the Holy Spirit for how to best anoint and send off this amazing couple and their seed of couples from our group to start their new Life Group in Lake Stevens. Here is my Outline for what I shared.

Passages: John 15:12-17 | John 4:34 | John 14:31 | Matthew 28:18-20 | Acts 13:1-3

What ‘Sustained’ Jesus?

“Jesus said to them, My food (nourishment) is to do the will (pleasure) of Him Who sent Me and to accomplish and completely finish His work.” John 4:34 AMP

“…I do as the Father has commanded Me, so that the world may know (be convinced) that I love the Father and that I do only what the Father has instructed Me to do. [I act in full agreement with His orders.]” John 14:31 AMP

All through Jesus’ teaching He leads by example so just as Jesus was sustained by the food of obedience, we too should feed on ‘doing’ the will of Jesus in all that we do. Here at the same time we see that a huge part of Jesus’ ministry was to show the world the Love Jesus has for His Father by doing what the Father has instructed Him to do. Our goals as followers of Jesus should be to show the world that we ‘Love’ Him by obeying His commands and following His example.

What does it mean to ‘Follow’ Jesus?

“This is My commandment: that you love one another [just] as I have loved you.” John 15:12 AMP

“…I have called you My friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from My Father. [I have revealed to you everything that I have learned from Him.]” John 15:15b AMP

“You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed you [I have planted you], that you might go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your fruit may be lasting [that it may remain, abide], so that whatever you ask the Father in My Name [as presenting all that I AM], He may give it to you.” John 15:16 AMP

The power of these passages aligns with understanding what sustained Jesus, it is profound! Jesus calls us to Love One Another. Then He says that we have everything we need to know in God’s word; essentially that it is sufficient for all issues and questions we will have here on earth. Not only that but we are ‘Chosen’ and ‘Appointed’ by Jesus to bear fruit (He is the Vine and we are the branches | the Father is the Gardener). Finally, Jesus says that since we are chosen and when we are bearing fruit, the Father will give us what we ask in Jesus name. This asking and getting is not a support of ‘prosperity theology’, it is simply a statement that when we are walking in the steps of and obedience to Jesus, our desires and requests for our ministry will be aligned with what God the Father is doing in and through us.

Wrapping it all up…

“Jesus approached and, breaking the silence, said to them, All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you all the days (perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion), to the [very] close and consummation of the age. Amen (so let it be).” Matthew 28:18-20 AMP

So, the call is go! This could mean ‘GO’ to the mission field. It definitely is that all of us must show the love Jesus to all those we come in contact with. In the case of Antony and Irina, this is to go and pour into other newly married couples the teaching of God’s word and together make an impact for God’s Kingdom in their community. Loving one another is the command and the context of that love is defined in the Word of God.

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QTVOTD: Our one calling to Love Jesus..

Main Takeaways from my reading in John 14:25-31 today.

  1. What we have seen from Jesus’ teaching in the Bible is all we need today. There is no instruction missing.
  2. God sent the Holy Spirit to dwell in us. The Holy Spirit is an intercessor and proxy for Jesus until He returns.
  3. Jesus has GIVEN us His PEACE; so, we have NOTHING to fear.
  4. We must understand the deep relationship the Son has with the Father.
  5. Satan has no hold on Jesus whatsoever.
  6. Jesus modeled His love for the Father through His unwavering obedience to the Father. This is how we love Jesus!

John 14:25-31 AMP
I have told you these things while I am still with you.
But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you.
Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.]
You heard Me tell you, I am going away and I am coming [back] to you. If you [really] loved Me, you would have been glad, because I am going to the Father; for the Father is greater and mightier than I am.
And now I have told you [this] before it occurs, so that when it does take place you may believe and have faith in and rely on Me.
I will not talk with you much more, for the prince (evil genius, ruler) of the world is coming. And he has no claim on Me. [He has nothing in common with Me; there is nothing in Me that belongs to him, and he has no power over Me.]
But [Satan is coming and] I do as the Father has commanded Me, so that the world may know (be convinced) that I love the Father and that I do only what the Father has instructed Me to do. [I act in full agreement with His orders.] Rise, let us go away from here.