Quiet Time Experiment

QUIET TIME EXPERIMENT

Two statements of Scripture intrigue me: David’s challenge, “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psa. 34:8) and Jesus’ claim, “I came that you might have life abundantly” (Jn. 10:10).

Convinced that the quality of my life is not now what I want it to be, I pledge myself to an experiment in dynamic Christian living. For the next 60 days I will seek to cultivate the mind of Jesus Christ that I might discover for myself the full-life He claims to make possible. I begin this experiment today by praying this prayer:

Lord God, I am so self-centered, thinking of self, dreaming of self, desiring for self, loving self. With me as the center of my life, I cannot enjoy abundance in living nor can I know anything of the full-life that You want for me. I believe that the only way I can be a whole and complete person is to have You as the center of my life.

Therefore, with trust and love, I give myself to You. Take what I have this moment, of weakness and strength, of confusion and assurance, of doubt and faith, of dark moods and joyous radiance. All I have I place in your hands. Here is my life. I surrender as much of myself as I know how. In this way, I place myself under Your management.

And now Lord Jesus, use Your word to revolutionize my life. Live Your holy life through mine. Use my mind to think Your thoughts. Use my heart to love people with. My mouth is Yours to speak Your words. Make me the kind of person You want me to be.

I believe that You are faithful and will do this for I pray this in Jesus’ wonderful and powerful name.

For the next 2 months, I will:

1. spend one-half (½) hour each day in prayer and guided Bible study/meditation. This means setting aside ½ hour in my schedule to make sure that I do this.

2. honestly seek God’s guidance in my daily decisions by asking the question, “What does Jesus Christ want to do through me?”

3. share with at least one other person what I am discovering (both of success and of failure) so that he/she can join me in my prayer for me.

Materials needed:

1. A notebook entitled, “Quiet Times.”

2. A New Testament - preferably a modern translation.

3. A pen or pencil for taking notes.

4. A teachable and expectant heart.

Guide for each day (write this in your notebook).

1. Day # _____ Date _______ Scripture passage(s) _______________.

2. The main thoughts of the passage(s).

3. How this passage(s) applies to my life - pray for insight.

4. A specific act of kindness for today - pray for insight.

the action,
the person,
the person’s reaction, and
the effect on me.

5. Record the special need that you have for today.

Suggestions for using the ½ hour:

1. 20 minutes – Read the passage(s) for the day. Meditate on them. Write out in less than 5 sentences how this passage(s) applies to your life.

2. 5 minutes – Let the Lord Jesus Christ lead you to plan one totally unselfish and loving act of kindness for this day for someone.

3. 5 minutes – My need. Decide what your greatest single need is for the day. One well-thought out sentence and well-prayed need would be an excellent step to assist you as you grow.

DAY AND READINGS

1. 1 Cor. 13:4-7

2. Matt. 28:1-20

3. Luke 10:1-3, 17-20

4. Luke 16:10; 2 Tim. 2:2

5. Matt. 5:10-16; Luke 6:26; 11:23

6. Luke 12:15; 1 Tim. 6:6-11

7. John 7:24; 1 Cor. 5:12 - 6:8

8. Luke 9:57-62; 14:33; Matt. 16:24

9. Acts 4:12-20; 5:27-29

10. Rom. 7:15-25

11. Eph. 2:8, 9; John 6:44, 65; Rom. 8:28-39; Acts 13:48

12. Heb. 13:17; 1 Thes. 5:12, 13; 1 Cor. 16:15, 16

13. 1 Cor. 9:19-27

14. Gal. 1:6-10; Rom. 15:1-3; 1 Thes. 2:3-7

15. Rom. 3:10-12, 23: 8:6-9; Isa. 64:6; Gen. 6:5; 8:21

16. 2 Cor. 11:3; 1 Cor. 2:1-5

17. 2 Cor. 4:7-11; 11:24-28; 12:15

18. Gal. 6:9, 10; 1 Cor. 15:58; Heb. 12:3

19. Eph. 6:10-20

20. Phil. 2:3-8, 19-22; 1 Thes. 2:8

21. 1 Tim. 1:12-16; Phil. 3:7-11

22. 1 Thes. 4:1, 9-12; Phil. 1:9; Col. 3:23

23. 1 Thes. 4:13-18; Phil. 3:20, 21; 2 Cor. 5:1-10

24. Phil. 4:8; Col. 3:1, 2; Matt. 16:23

25. 2 Tim. 2:22; 1 Cor. 15:33; Prov. 13:20; 1 Pet. 1:14-16

26. Jas. 1:2-4; Rom. 5:3-5; 1 Cor. 10:13

27. Jas. 4:4; 1 John. 2:15-17; Matt. 6:24; Rom. 13:14

28. 1 John 5:3; John 14:15; 15:12, 13; 1 John 2:3-6

29. 1 Thes. 5:16-18; Phil. 4:6; Col. 4:2; Luke 18:1

30. Prov. 14:7; 20:19; 22:5, 10, 24, 25; 23:20,21; 24:1,2; 5:3-11

31. Rom. 12:13; 16:1, 2; 1 Pet. 4:9-11; 3 John 1:5-8

32. Jas. 4:7; 1 Pet. 5:8, 9; 2 Cor. 11:3, 14, 15; Eph. 4:26, 27

33. Gal. 6:1; Luke 17:3, 4; Matt. 18:15-17, 21, 22

34. Rom. 12:2; 2 Cor. 5:14, 15; Gal. 6:14; Eph. 5:6-10

35. 1 Pet. 2:19; Heb. 12:7; Jas. 1:12; Col. 1:10, 11

36. Prov. 8:13; 11:2; 16:5, 18; 21:4; 2 Cor. 12:7-10

37. 1 Jn. 1:9; Matt. 20:26, 27; Lk. 18:13, 14; Rom. 12:3, 10, 16

38. Rom. 12:12; Luke 6:22, 23; John 16:24; 17:13; Phil. 4:4

39. Luke 14:26; John 8:31; 13:35; 15:8; Mark 3:14

40. Prov. 19:22; Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:12; Matt. 25:34, 35

41. Prov. 1:5; 6:6-8; 8:33; 9:8-9; 10:14, 19; 11:30; 12:15

42. Rom. 12:17; 1 Pet. 2:12; Psa. 37:21; Jer. 22:13

43. Eph. 5:4, 20; Col. 1:12; 2:7; 3:15-17; 1 Tim. 2:1

44. Rom. 12:11; 16:17, 18; 7:5, 6; Col. 3:23, 24; Gal. 5:13

45. 2 Cor. 8:3-5, 12-14; 9:6, 7; 2 Thes. 3:10-12; 1 Cor. 16:1-4

46. 1 Tim. 4:7-8; Eph. 5:15-18; Psa. 90:12; Jas. 4:14

47. 1 Pet. 4:10; Eph. 4:11-16; 1 Cor. 4:2; Col. 3:17

48. 1 Pet. 2:1, 2; 1 Cor. 3:2, 3; Jas. 3:14-16; Titus 3:3

49. Mark 9:50; Rom. 12:18; 8:6; 2 Cor. 13:11; Eph. 2:13, 14

50. Phil. 3:18-20; Eph. 5:3, 5; Col. 3:5; Lk. 16:13, 14; Rom. 13:9

51. Titus 3:1-3; 1 Pet. 3:14, 15; 2 Tim. 2:24-26; Rom. 12:14

52. Phil. 2:14, 15; Jas. 5:9; 1 Cor. 10:10, 11; Ex. 16:6-8, 17:5-10

53. Matt. 6:19-34; Psa. 9:10; 22:26; 27:8; 42:1, 2

54. 2 Cor. 7:1; Phil. 2:12, 13; 1 Pet. 2:17, 18; 1 Tim. 5:20

55. Eph. 4:25; Jas. 3:14; 1 Pet. 1:22; 1 John 1:6; 3:18, 19

56. John 8:54; Prov. 13:18; 15:33; 20:3; 21:21; Rom. 13:7; 12:10

57. Rom. 4:17, 18; 5:1, 2; 8:24, 25; 12:12; 15:4; Gal. 5:5

58. Rev. 3:15-19; 2:2-5; 2 Pet. 1:5-10; Luke 17:10

59. John 15:12-15; Acts 27:3; Prov. 27:6; 17:17; 27:9

60. Prov. 11:13; 17:9; Col. 3:8; Eph. 5:4; Tit. 3:9; Prov. 10:32; 29:20

QUIET TIMES

Day # 1 Date: July 27, 2001 Scripture: 1 Cor. 13:4-7

Main thoughts of the passage & how this passage applies to my life:

Since one of the fruit of the Spirit is love, I should be exercising it so that it can readily be seen in my life.

Am I patient or long-suffering? Sometimes not. I ought to consider others as always being more important. This way I won’t get irritated easily when I’m interrupted. I have also seen an improvement in myself in that I am more patient than I used to be. For example, instead of interrupting someone, I usually try to remain quiet and listen attentively to the one talking until they are completely finished and ready for me to talk (this is true some of the time, but I still could improve). I have also learned to be patient when I’m in a long line. I think I could be more patient by thinking of others as being more important than myself.

Am I kind? Usually I am, but when debating I’m not. I ought to be more considerate of other’s feelings and be more understanding of the person’s background. After all, that’s what they’ve been taught!

Am I jealous? No. I am glad God has given me all that I have, and that’s enough.

Do I brag? Not as much as I use to. I still need to watch those “I” sentences though and be more careful about saying things that make me look better than the other person. I think that if I think of doing things that will help build up others, I won’t brag at all. What could I do, then? As an act of my will choose to think of others interests and then follow through with action. Don’t be eager to say my mind or do my thing. Be a servant!

Am I arrogant? Same as above.

Do I act unbecomingly? Sometimes I am crude and do unbecoming things around friends. I ought to be more controlled in my thought-life and actions and ask myself if Jesus would have done the same as I. Remember that I represent Christ.

Do I seek my own? I think I do too much of the time. “It’s my time, life, money, etc.” My actions show this. I need to remember that I am to have the same mind as was in Christ, who was obedient (and humble) even to the point of death on a cross. I ought to remember how Christ came to serve and not be served. Am I greater than my Master?

Am I provoked (or easily angered)? Only when I think my time is more important and someone interrupts. I ought to see every interruption as an opportunity for Christ to be glorified in me.

Do I take into account (or keep records of) a wrong suffered? Only for a short time. I have forgiven everyone I can think of at the moment.

Do I rejoice with unrighteousness? No. Do I rejoice with the truth? Yes, I am very thankful that I am taught true doctrine and not false. Even though I am not outwardly expressive with my joy most of the time, I am inwardly.

Do I always bear all things (put up with or tolerate calmly any annoyance/troubles)? Yes, pretty much so, except what I wrote under the “patience” section.

What about believe all things (except things that are false - Prov. 14:15)? Yes.

What about hoping (for the best in regard to all people)? Yes, though it is difficult at times. I must keep submitting every area of my life to the Lordship of Christ.

A specific act of kindness for today:

Although I don’t like cold room temperatures, I’ll have the room nice and cool for my Bible study group tonight, and I’ll just wear some extra clothes.

My Bible study group appreciated the air-conditioning, which made me happy.

The special need that I have for today:

That God would fill me with joy and nothing would bring me down.