How To Have a Quiet Time by Rick Warren

This was recently in the Purpose-Driven Life email newsletter I receive, and I thought I'd post it in case others are struggling with how to have a quiet time.

How to Have a Quiet Time (Part 4)
by Rick Warren
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24 (NIV)
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Follow a simple plan
Someone has said, “If you aim at nothing, you are sure to hit it!” To have a meaningful quiet time, you will need a plan or some kind of general outline to follow.
The main rule is this: Keep your plan simple.
You will need the following three items for your planned quiet times:
• A Bible – a contemporary translation (not a paraphrase) with good print, preferably without notes.
• A notebook for writing down what the Lord shows you, and for making a prayer list.
• A hymnbook – sometimes you may want to sing in your praise time (see Colossians 3:16).
1. Wait on God (Relax). Be still for a minute; don’t come running into God’s presence and start talking immediately. Follow God’s admonition: “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10; see also Isaiah 30:15; 40:31). Be quiet for a short while to put yourself into a reverent mood.
2. Pray briefly (Request). This is not your prayer time, but a short opening prayer to ask God to cleanse your heart and guide you into the time together. Two good passages of Scripture to memorize are:
• “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24; see also 1 John 1:9).
• “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law [the Word]” (Psalm 119:18; see also John 16:13).
You need to be in tune with the Author before you can understand his Book!
3. Read a section of the Scripture (Read). This is where your conversation with God begins. He speaks to you through his Word, and you speak with him in prayer. Read your Bible …
• Slowly. Don’t be in a hurry; don’t try to read too large an amount; don’t race through it.
• Repeatedly. Read a passage over and over until you start to picture it in your mind. The reason more people don’t get more out of their Bible reading is that they do not read the Scriptures repeatedly.
• Without stopping. Don’t stop in the middle of a sentence to go off on a tangent and do a doctrinal study. Just read that section for the pure joy of it, allowing God to speak to you. Remember that your goal here is not to gain information, but to feed on the Word and get to know Christ better.
• Aloud but quietly. Reading it aloud will improve your concentration, if you have that problem. It will also help you understand what you are reading better because you will be both seeing and hearing what you are reading. Read softly enough, however, so that you won’t disturb anyone.
• Systematically. Read through a book at a time in an orderly method. Do not use the “random dip” method – a passage here, a chapter there, what you like here, an interesting portion there. You’ll understand the Bible better if you read it as it was written – a book or letter at a time.
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This article was adapted from Dynamic Bible Study Methods (Chariot Victor Books) © Copyright 1989 by Rick Warren. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
All Scripture references are from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright 1973, 1978, and 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishing House. All rights reserved.
You may use this study guide for yourself or share it with friends, but please keep the copyright information within the document, and please don’t sell it.
© 2008 Purpose Driven Life. All rights reserved.

Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., one of America's largest and best-known churches. In addition, Rick is author of the New York Times bestseller The Purpose Driven Life and The Purpose Driven Church, which was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th Century. He is also founder of Pastors.com, a global Internet community for ministers.

Jesus in Song of Songs (Solomon)

I have always had a hard time seeing how Song of Songs fit in with the rest of the Word, but I found these comparisons in Daily Light From the Bible (by Samuel Bagster, Barbour Publishing) that opened my eyes, so I thought I'd share:

My meditation of Him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the Lord. (Psalm 104:34) As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my Beloved among the sons. I sat down under His shadow with great delight, and His fruit was sweet to my taste. (SOS 2:3) Thy words were found and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart. (Jer. 15:16)

For who in the heaven can be compared unto the LORD? who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the LORD? (Ps. 89:6) My Beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand. (SOS 5:10) A chief cornerstone, elect, precious....(1 Peter 2:6) One pearl of great price. (Mat.13:46) The Prince of the kings of the earth.(Rev.1:5)

His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven. (SOS 5:11) The head over all things. (Eph. 1:22) He is the head of the body, the church. (Col. 1:18) It pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell. (Col. 1:19)

His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers.(SOS 5:13) He is altogether lovely. (SOS 5:16) Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips. (Ps. 45:2) The Word made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:14) He could not be hid. (Mark 7:24)

His lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh.(SOS 5:13) Never man spake like this man. (John 7:46) All bare Him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. (Luke 4:22)

His countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.(SOS 5:1) Make thy face to shine upon thy servant. (Ps. 31:16) LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. (Ps. 4:6)

I am black, but comely. (SOS 1:5) I am a sinful man, O Lord. (Luke 5:8) I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing. (Romans 7:18) Be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. (Matt. 9:2) Ye are complete in Him. Perfect in Christ Jesus. (Col. 2:10; 1:28)

Sunday

It was wonderful to get back in my church Sunday. Somehow it made me feel that life could get back to normal now. God's Spirit was evident during the worship hour. There is nothing like being able to sing and praise God no matter what is going on in our lives. I felt so unburdened and free--lifted up and encouraged. I wasn't the only one. Several people in the sanctuary lifted up their hands as we sang, "All hail, King Jesus! All hail, Emmanuel! King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Bright Morning Star. And throughout eternity, I'm going to praise Him. And forevermore I will reign with Him." Let me tell you, seeing that many hands in the air was unusual for my church--Southern Baptist--and unbelievers would think it was most unusual for people who have just gone through a hurricane with damaged property and lives (or having relatives with damaged property and lives) singing praises to their King and Creator.

I was convinced once more that no matter what happens to us or around us, nothing can take away our joy and confidence in Christ Jesus. We may not understand all that He allows to take place, but we can be assured He is in control and is on our side. That He will listen to our cries and prayers and will help us. Hebrews says He ever lives to intercede for us. How I love Him!

I praise you, Lord! I am so grateful to You for Your love and support. Forgive me for not taking the time consistently to sit before you in praise and adoration, for not seeking Your wisdom and guidance before heading out and doing my own thing. For trusting in my own judgment and agenda and not waiting patiently to hear Your Voice speak to my heart. It's a lesson You've had to teach me over and over again. I'm sorry I'm such a slow learner!

Last Post for Awhile

Due to my parents' ill health, I'm shutting down my blog for awhile. I don't know for how long but I would appreciate your prayers for my parents. They are in their eighties and are needing me more and more which I do not mind at all. I love them both dearly and am so appreciative to God that I am available to care for them. I also request your prayers for my husband and children and me. I'll just end this by saying that the past few weeks have been the most stressful, the most difficult, but also the most glorious as I brought each and every situation under the protective umbrella of my Lord's good and perfect will. It seems the more stress I'm given, the more I'm compelled to lean on Him, and the more assurance He gives me of His Presence, and that if I will just let Him have control and have faith in Him and His Word, His perfect will (which is in our best interest) will be done. As I lay in bed last night and felt the old anxiousness building, God revealed to me that He was right there with me in my heart by reminding me of this Bible verse, "The kingdom of God is within you." I imagined Jesus sitting on His throne in my heart and I asked Him to reign fully in me and to bring my body under subjection to Him. As I prayed I felt my body beginning to relax. I hope I always remember that He truly is in all and in Him all things hold together--including me.

Comments on Consecrate Your Mind

Thank you all for taking the time to comment. Sheryl, God gave me a wonderful example of my relationship with Him yesterday. It just came to me. I remembered how in the first Superman movie, Superman took Lois on a flying lesson. At first, she was terrified and clung to his shoulder and arm and hid her eyes. Then as she saw he had her, she stopped hiding her eyes and began to enjoy herself. Then, she let go of his shoulder and just held onto his arm. A few minutes later she was enjoying her freedom so much, she let go of his arm and just held his hand. As her confidence grew even more, she let go of his hand until she was holding onto just a finger. Then she felt so confident and free that without realizing what she was doing, she let go of his finger--and plummeted to earth. But he was there to swoop down and catch her again. The parallel between that flight and my walk with Jesus was so illuminating to me. I had grown too confident. In my heart and mind, I had let my grip on Jesus relax until I was just holding His hand. And I didn't even realize it until the anxiety symptoms started coming back. Praise God for the way He cares for us and helps us fulfill our commitment to Him!

Jill, I prayed the same thing to God. I know myself and how easily influenced I am by the things I watch on television and the news. Somehow I have fallen into the habit of television again. I asked Him years ago to keep me from loosening my grip on Him, and I believe He did that Sunday.

Linda, (I sent you an email), thank you for your encouragement to keep blogging. Believe it or not, I had thought about shutting down this blog just moments before I read your comment. I wondered if I spent too much time writing (I'm a perfectionist and it takes me awhile to write and make sure it's something that glorifies God.) After reading your comment, I felt God had affirmed I should keep blogging until He tells me otherwise.

Consecrate Your Mind

For the past several days I've been crying out to God asking Him to show me or tell me what's going on with me. Anxiety has been cropping up in little symptoms here and there--I couldn't understand why they'd come back and not stay away like before. This morning while singing in the choir, I felt these words impressed upon me--Consecrate Your Mind. I was in the middle of singing a song, but it was like these words were written in bold, large letters in my mind. I knew instantly what He meant. I had not been guarding my mind. Because I have had peace for so long, I had become confident and had stopped reading the Bible as much and listening to praise music as much as I did in the days I was desperately seeking Him. I had been watching too much television, spending too much time on the computer--letting too much of the world enter my mind. So I said, "Yes" in my spirit this morning and I recommitted my mind to Jesus. Everything I have is His, after all. Then I came home and told my husband. And bless his heart, he agreed. We turned off the television and left it off until the Astros baseball game came on. Then he watched and I cooked dinner. I feel so much better now. I feel as if God's eye is on me and He's helping me live for Him. Glory to God!

It's A Great Morning!

I woke up this morning and immediately thought about my God. I praised Him and gave Him my submission and allegiance. I was thrilled that my mind turned to the Lord first thing this morning. It used to in my panic days when I was first learning to walk with Him. I believe it happened because I read from the Word last night for an hour before bed. I actually slept 6 full hours last night! Praise the Lord! I hope your morning is just as glorious as mine is today!!!!!


Psalm 113:3 From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the LORD is to be praised. (NIV)

Feeling Abandoned?

If you, like me, have ever felt abandoned by the Lord, I'd like to share this with you. Feelings come from thoughts and thoughts that are not under the Holy Spirit's control can't be trusted. How do you know if your thoughts are under the control of the Holy Spirit? Beth Moore talked about this in her Bible study, Living Beyond Yourself. She said, the Holy Spirit always believes God. So if you're having thoughts that go against what God says in His Word, then you must abandon your thoughts and cling to the Word.

In Hebrews 13:5, God says again (because He first said it in the OT in Joshua 1) "Never will I leave you. Never will I forsake you." That Greek word for "never" is "oume" and it is a double negative strengthening the denial. Another way to say it is: not at all; by no means; no, never. (The Complete Word Study New Testament, Spiros Zodhiates)

The Greek word for "leave" is "aniemi" and it means to let up (lit.) slacken or (fig.) desert, desist from--forbear, leave, loose. (The Complete Word Study New Testament, edited by Spiros Zodhiates)

The Greek word for "forsake" is "egkataleipo", and it means to leave behind in some place. (The Complete Word Study New Testament, edited by Spiros Zodhiates)

Here's how it reads in the Amplified Bible: "For He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!]

So when your thoughts are telling you that your God has abandoned you, tell your thoughts to "bow the knee" to God's Word. The battle of faith is in the mind. We have to determine every day whose thoughts we're going to listen to. Our own? Or our Lord's? Whose thoughts contain the most truth? Jesus tells us in John 17:17 that God's Word is Truth.

I needed this today, dear Lord. Only you know how much I needed this. Help me keep this truth, O Lord, in my heart and in my mind. Forgive me for thoughts that do not do you honor. Forgive me for thoughts that rear themselves up against what You have said. In the precious name of Jesus I ask it. Amen.

My "Word" for the Day

Jeremiah 15:16 "Your words were found and I ate them, and Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; for I have been called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts." (NASB)

I've never read this verse until this morning in my quiet time, and my spirit vibrated with the Truth found in them. I could have written Jeremiah 15:16. One commentary says "ate them" means to meditate on; internalize. I've experienced joy and delight in feeding on (meditating on; memorizing and internalizing) God's Word. Today I realize that if I hadn't had panic disorder, if I had not plummeted to such deep despair, I never would have cried out to God nor immersed myself in His Word. And I would've continued to live in misery at the mercy of my emotions and dark thoughts. I would've never known the "rest" that Jesus spoke of or that my life could be different--that I could be different. I've discovered that losing my job and being forced to stay home--isolated--with no one to turn to except God has been the biggest blessing of my life. I rejoice in the fact that God allowed this so that I would realize I've been set apart for His purposes. I've been called by name, and I am on this planet to fulfill my calling. Blessed are you if you are struggling with panic, anxiety, or depression. This is your opportunity to truly lean on your God and let Him prove that He is "for" you and not against you in a way you could never have imagined. Let Him show you how He can be Lord of your life in the middle of your circumstances. Take this time to feed on His Word and let the verses become a joy to you and the delight of your heart. Blessed are you if you've been called by the LORD to experience Him in this way.

A God of Lovingkindness, Justice, and Righteousness

This morning my devotional was on Jeremiah 9:1, but as I read through the chapter, my eyes fell on verse 24 and the words penetrated my heart. Jeremiah 9:24 says, "'But let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,' declares the LORD."

God wants us to know Him and understand Him. That He is not a harsh, evil god, waiting to zap us for every mistake we make, but a God of lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness. How blessed we are to have a God who delights in such things and not in making our lives miserable--a God who's all powerful and who destroys all wickedness, but who is also so loving and gentle He can kiss the brow of a sleeping baby and not disturb its rest. That's the feeling I had when I read and meditated on this verse. Awesome God. Loving Father. Faithful Redeemer. Saviour. Friend.

Email Devotional

Wow! I received this by email today and it just fits what I was trying to express yesterday. God's timing is awesome!!

"'Even to your old age I am He, even when you turn gray I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear, I will carry and will save.'
Isaiah 46:4

God is a dwelling place for all generations. He values all of us as his beloved children, regardless of age. God crowns every age with its own beauty. Learn to recognize age as a gift from God. Have peace knowing that God is with you through your aging."

Be Still

I watched the Be Still DVD and have been putting into practice the Contemplative Prayer exercise that they suggested. This DVD has Beth Moore, Priscilla Shirer, Richard Foster, Max Lucado, Dallas Willard, and others talking about the importance of contemplation and solitude while listening for God's voice as you read His Word. It suggests the sequence of praying that the Holy Spirit will speak to your heart and then instead of reading a whole chapter during your Quiet Time, take shorter passages of Scripture, perhaps 3 or 4 verses and read it 4 times slowly. As you reflect on what you've read, see if a phrase or a verse speaks to you--that's God highlighting His Word just for you that moment. Then ask yourself what God wants you to do with what He has shown you. You may want to write the verse down or journal about what He's telling you. Then sit back and rest in the awesome Presence of our Lord.

The first time I did this, I was already reading in the Book of John. I began where I had left off, only this time I had decided to read just 4 verses. However, when my eyes hit the words "the Father is greater than I", they refused to budge. I'd intended to keep reading but nothing doing. So I started over, because I had just read 2 verses, and the same thing happened. I couldn't get past the words, "the Father is greater than I". (I don't think I really realized God would speak to me on my first try at this.)

So then I sat back and I contemplated the words. I thought, as great as Jesus is, God is even greater. Then the words God is greater just kept ringing in my soul so that I had to say it out loud several times. Each time with more and more conviction, and then I finally realized God was wanting me to apply this to a problem I had prayed about the day before. (Sometimes it takes awhile for things to sink in.) I was able to sit back and just rest in the knowledge that God was in control and that He wanted me to know it. I guess that's what quiet time really should be--us asking the Lord to speak and then letting Him lead us through His Word. If you have a chance to get this DVD (I ordered it through Amazon) I would encourage you to do it. There's a beautiful song on there that you can listen to before your quiet time to help calm and settle your mind.

You Tube Video (Dancing with Jesus)

This is an awesome video. It reminded me of how torn apart, demoralized, and tormented my panic disorder made me feel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyheJ480LYA