Your Quiet Time

The believer’s quiet time is a private devotion time, set aside for the purpose of cultivating a rich spiritual life. It is an appointment with God. The believer’s quiet time seeks to move him from a state of stress to a state of rest. A calm spirit in the peace and joy of God is the frame of a man who is in touch with God.

The elements of a private devotion are prayer, reading and meditating on God’s Word and singing praises to God. The quiet time must not deteriorate to a regiment. It must not take away the excitement and delight of the soul in the study of God’s Word. Yet there is a need for self-discipline to build up a habit of life-long devotion to God.

Priscilla and Aquila were selfless and sacrificial who co-laboured with the Apostle Paul in the advancement of God’s kingdom. Their love for God and His people were so clearly demonstrated that they were willing to risk even their lives for the sake of the wellbeing of other Christians.

The Apostle Paul is thankful for such friends and their good works were well-known among all the churches of the Gentiles. They were travelling like the Apostle Paul to minister to the believers. Luke recorded how they met. They were tent-makers.

Thank God for believers who will always be on the look out to bless God’s people. It is such a comfort and encouragement experience hospitality and practical help from such ones. It warms the heart. It strengthens the hand of the receiver to also do good to others. As Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” May God endow His people with His love to bless others for His glory. Amen.

Romans 16:20 And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

Philippians 4:9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

1 Thessalonians 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

He cited two reasons for his request (1) For the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake (2) For the love of the Spirit. His will has been completely surrendered to the Lord’s purpose and plan through the leading of the Holy Spirit. He said in Philippians 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Truly, the Apostle Paul is wholly given over to serve his Lord.

Ecclesiastes 3:18-22

18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts. 19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. 20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. 21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth? 22 Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

The work of the gospel brings spiritual blessings from God. The Apostle Paul carries God’s blessing to the church in Rome by his coming presence with them. He imparts to them spiritual insight into God’s perspective of life on earth that will benefit them for eternity. This is the selfless work of the gospel that he brings to the churches. A blessed example. Amen.

The Apostle Paul has a heart for the furtherance of the gospel. He preached the gospel in uncharted territories. He desires to see the gospel extended to all the Gentile world. Citing Isaiah’s prophecy in Isaiah 52:15, he speaks of the mission for the conversion of Gentiles and their eventual conversion to receive Israel’s Messiah God, Jesus Christ. He was the man sent for this mission to the Gentiles fulfilling this prediction of Isaiah.

The Apostle Paul was a pioneering missionary to the Gentiles. Because God called him, God also manifested His power to save through the mighty signs and wonders in the conversion of souls throughout the Roman Empire whenever he has set foot upon. Many churches were founded because the gospel was preached and men saved.

Acts 7:1-16 Then said the high priest, Are these things so? 2 And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, 3 And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee. 4 Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell.