Time Alone With God
Dr. Tim JohnsonDay 1 | Day
2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5
In this day and age of so much information, and so much emphasis on "
style="mso-bidi-font-style:
normal">new age" thinking, it is very difficult to know if what we are
hearing is from God or not. In today's Time
Alone With God we will see how to test the ones who are speaking to us.
Read
href="http://www.biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?passage=1+John+4%3A1-3&NIV_version=yes&language=english">1
John 4:1-3 (later referred to as 1 Jn.)
We are to be very careful not to apply everything we hear
from someone. In fact you've heard the saying, "I
style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">f you don't stand for something, you'll
fall for anything." It is very important that we know what we believe and
know how to discern the motives of others who want to teach us. There are many
smooth talkers who can lead us astray if we are not careful. One sure way to
check someone out is to see if they acknowledge Jesus Christ as the Son of God
who came in the flesh to die for our sins. There are many well meaning people
and religions that will not acknowledge Jesus Christ as
style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">The only way for salvation.
Another way to know what is truth, is to make sure that what you are
hearing is supported by God's Word. God will
style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">never ask you to do something
that is contrary to His Word. If you are hearing something that just doesn't
match with God's Word, don't do it! If you are going to apply this principle, you do
realize that you must read God's Word to know it, which means planned time in
reading. Remember, if Satan can't make you bad, he'll make you busy. We've
been talking about leaving "borderland." Well, borderland is a virtual
colony of biblical anorexics and bulimics, where appetites rage for everything
but Truth. The Truth will be found in reading the Bible.
The last principle I want to share with you today, is to see if the one
who is teaching you is directing you to Christ or to himself. Remember what Paul
said, 1 Cor. 3:7
style="mso-bidi-font-style:
normal">So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God,
who makes things grow. Look at their lifestyle and their fruit. Is their
life pointing to building God's kingdom or their own?
God causes things to grow, not man. If you are hearing someone build
their own kingdom, be very wary of them. Close your
style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Time Alone With God by committing to read
God's Word more consistently so that you will be prepared to discern truth
from error.
style="mso-bidi-font-weight:
normal">Day Two
One thing that we can have as believers in Christ is confidence. We do
not need to be afraid of life!
Read
href="http://www.biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&version=NIV&passage=1+John+4%3A4-6&x=16&y=11">1
Jn. 4:4-6
When you invited Christ into your life, you were possessed by the Creator
of the Universe who loves you and desires the best for you (
style="mso-bidi-font-weight:
normal">John 10:10 The thief comes
only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and
have it to the full.). Christ indwells you (that is if you have invited Him
to come into your life) and is there to empower you for successful living.
style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Ephes. 3:17
style="mso-bidi-font-style:
normal">so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith…
style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Philip. 4:13
style="mso-bidi-font-style:
normal"> I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.
style="mso-spacerun: yes">
style="mso-tab-count:1">
We are not to fear that which we cannot see. In fact, the verse says
that He who is dwelling in us is greater than he who is in the world. You have
the power of God living within you and you have access to His power to overcome
any attack that may come (whether mental, physical, or spiritual). Does this
mean that we won't ever be hurt? No. But it does mean that we won't be
defeated. 2 Cor. 4:7-10 But we have this
treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-
style="mso-bidi-font-weight:
normal">surpassing power is from God and not from us.
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> [8] We are hard pressed on every side,
but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;
[9] Persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> [10] We always carry around in our body
the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.
style="mso-spacerun: yes">
So then how are to we face those difficult people and situations?
style="mso-bidi-font-weight:
normal"> Ephes. 6:10-18
Finally, be strong
in the Lord and in His mighty power. [11] Put on the full armor of God so that you can take
your stand against the devil's schemes. [12]
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against
the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual
forces of evil in the heavenly realms. [13]
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil
comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done
everything, to stand. [14] Stand
firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the
breastplate of right living in place, [15]
and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of
peace. [16] In addition to all
this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming
arrows of the evil one. [17] Take
the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> [18] And pray in the Spirit on all
occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert
and always keep on praying for all the saints.
style="mso-spacerun: yes">
style="mso-tab-count:1">
I don't know if you've been feeling intimidated by some situation
or by some person lately, but God's desire for you is that you walk with
confidence by His power and that you have joy in your life! That joy and
confidence will come as you access that power of Christ who lives within you.
Close your Time Alone With God by
asking Him to give you His power and confidence as you move out in your day
today!
style="mso-bidi-font-weight:
normal">Day Three
What one major characteristic describes you? In today's
style="mso-bidi-font-style:
normal">Time Alone With God, you will discover what God desires for you to
be like.
Read
href="http://www.biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&version=NIV&passage=1+John+4%3A7-12">1
Jn. 4:7-12
I guess you didn't have a difficult time discovering that answer did
you? We are to love others. You might be thinking about that difficult person in
your life right now and thinking to yourself, "
style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">There is no way I can love
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> ,
they are impossible to love." Go back and re-read verse 8. Now that
you are totally frustrated and think that this is an impossible task, let me
tell you what kind of love this is talking about. In the Bible, there are three
different kinds of love that are referred to. One is a brotherly kind of love,
another is more sexual in nature, and the third one is the one that this passage
is referring to. This kind of love is called, "
style="mso-bidi-font-style:
normal">agape" which means "God's
love." How is this going to happen? Re-read verse 12. This "
style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">God's love" is going to flow
style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">through you. You are not
responsible to produce it, just to share it. Re-read this last sentence slowly.
When you invited Christ into your heart, He began to fill you with His
love. Our responsibility is to take that love and share it with those who
don't deserve it. Re-read verses 10-11. You and I didn't deserve His
love, but He gave it anyway. Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates
His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
We are to be a river as opposed to a reservoir when it comes to sharing
Christ's love. We are not to keep that love only for ourselves or for those
who "deserve" it. The love of God
is to be shared with everyone. Verses 10-11 are really powerful
style="mso-bidi-font-weight:
normal">1 John 4:10-11 This is love:
not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning
sacrifice for our sins. [11] Dear
friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
Remember the person whom you filled in the blank with earlier? That
person needs the love of God shown to them. Close your
style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Time Alone With God by asking Christ to
love through you when you come in contact with the one who is most difficult to
love today. Pray for an opportunity to show God's love today! If you need some
extra help read, Phil. 4:13
style="mso-bidi-font-style:
normal">I can do all things through Christ Who gives me strength.
style="mso-bidi-font-weight:
normal">Day Four
Yesterday we dealt with a very difficult passage which revealed that we
need to love the unlovely. In today's Time
Alone With God we will continue to see how important the love of God is in
our lives.
Read
href="http://www.biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&version=NIV&passage=1+John+4%3A13-18">1
Jn. 4:13-18
Once again, these passages are telling us that if we have been filled
with Christ, then the automatic outgrowth is love for others. The reason for
that is that God's nature is love and He can't help but love. When you
invited Christ into your heart, the love of God entered your life and is looking
for a way to express that love to other people. You and I are the vessels to be
used to carry and give that love away.
For you to withhold the love of God to others is totally antithetical to
God's nature. Re-read verse 16. We must rely on the love of God and
realize that if we claim to know God, then we will love others. To use an
agricultural illustration,
style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">the root, determines the fruit. Apple
trees don't produce grapes. The nature of the root will dictate what kind of
fruit is produced. When the "root"
of Christ came into your life, the fruit was love!
I want to close with an interesting verse. Re-read verse 18. When
love comes in the "front door" of
your life, fear goes out the "back door."
Love drives out fear! If you find yourself living in fear most of the time, you
need to rediscover God's love for you. When you know that God loves you, you
begin to realize that part of being loved by the Creator is knowing that He will
meet all the needs that you have because He loves you. When you love someone,
you will do whatever you need to do to protect them. This is how God
feels about you.
Close your Time Alone With God
by meditating on what it means to be loved by God and what that should mean to
you on a daily basis. Allow God to love you today, and to drive out any fears
that you may have.
style="mso-bidi-font-weight:
normal">Day Five
Over the past few days we've been looking at the natural outcome of
having God live in us - that we love the unlovable. If you're still wavering
on the idea of whether you can really love ,
you'll find today's Time Alone With God very helpful.
Read href="http://www.biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&version=NIV&passage=1+John+4%3A19-21"> face="Arial">1 Jn. 4:19-21
Pretty powerful words, huh? If you just can't seem to get to the place
where you want to love those who really don't deserve it, try re-reading
verse 21. We are commanded to
love others. This idea of loving others is not a suggestion. If we love
God, then we must love others. We are to love others because we are loved by
God.
You and I did not deserve to be loved. In fact, we deserve death and
hell, but God demonstrated His love for us by dying on the cross for us. If He
were willing to do that, certainly we can pass that gift on to other undeserving
people.
I want you to close your Time Alone
With God by asking God to help you see others as He sees them. Ask Him to
give you an opportunity to share His love with someone who is difficult to love.
This love may be shown in any number of ways. i.e. speaking a kind word to them,
helping them with a project, meeting a need for them, refusing to "
style="mso-bidi-font-style:
normal">bash" them in conversations behind their back, etc. I know this
will not be an easy assignment today, but it is the right thing to do! Loving
those who don't deserve it is the Godly thing to do!
style="mso-bidi-font-weight:
normal">