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Rules and regulations.
Sometimes they’re necessary, sometimes not.
When I was a new Christian, several well-meaning Bible study sisters told me that I must have a quiet time in the morning or I’d start my day without the Lord. They quoted several Psalms.
A morning quiet time is great, and many people prefer it, but it's not the only spiritual option.
The psalmist mentions prayer throughout the day and even throughout the night. And 1 Thessalonians 5:17 encourages us to meet with God all day long.
Busy moms sometimes pray during their children's naptime or after their children are in bed.
Commuting Christians often pray during their travel time.
Others read their Bibles and pray in the evening to clear their heads for restful sleep and to ask God’s blessings on the following day.
What works at one stage of our lives, doesn't always work at another.
If you're struggling to fit in a daily quiet time, ask God for creative options. He'll help you because He wants to meet with you.
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Bible Love Notes has an archive of 1-minute devotions devoted to helping you with your quiet time: Quiet Time Encouragement.
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Bible Love Notes
Studies show that once people form an opinion, they usually refuse to listen to facts that refute it.
This causes enormous problems for Christians, causing them to:
1. Accept half-truths and distorted views of Scripture (e.g. the misuse of "Judge Not").
2. Promote unsubstantiated claims about Bible translations.
3. Excuse pagan involvement.
4. Support popular false teachers.
5. Misuse Scripture to promote cultural errors.
It makes us proud, foolish, and unteachable.
"The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice." Proverbs 12:15
If a thought, theory, idea, teaching, philosophy, or behavior contradicts Scripture, it's wrong. Period.
The Bible is God's "opinion" and His opinion is always the right one so:
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15
Bible Love Notes
“My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” ~ Jesus, Matthew 26:38
When we’re suffering, stressed, grieved, depressed, or discouraged, we should recite this verse and ponder what Christ suffered for us.
Our perfect Lord was “crushed with grief” to the point where it almost killed Him.
“Being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” Luke 22:44
It’s interesting that Luke, the physician, records this phenomenon called Hematidrosis.
Knowing He would be separated from His Father and held responsible for the sins of the world caused tiny blood vessels to break in Christ's body, squeezing blood out of the sweat glands and hair follicles. Our Lord suffered as a man.
Christ asked the disciples to "keep watch" during His time of need, but they fell asleep.(1)
Christ also asks us to "keep watch" ... to be busy with His work until He returns (Matthew 25:13; Mark 13:33).
Let's not fall asleep!
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(1) When I read that the disciples fell asleep, it makes me sad. But I realize that they did not fully understand what was going to happen to Christ, nor did they have God's Spirit living in them because the Holy Spirit had not been given yet (Acts 1:8). But we have God's Spirit and we understand the importance of what Christ accomplished on the cross. So let's "keep watch," dear Christians.
Bible Love Notes
