“If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.”
(Psalm 66:18 NLT)
What is quiet time? It is fellowship with a holy God.
The reason that some people do not have a quiet time is they feel uncomfortable.
The reason that some people do not feel comfortable is that they don’t want to look God in the face.
The reason that some people don’t want to look God in the face is because they have sin in their lives.
What did Adam do after he had sinned and God came walking in the Garden? Adam tried to hide and God had to come looking for him. Of course Adam could not hide from God and of course God already knew what had happened and God Knew exactly where Adam was trying to hide. But Adam still thought if God could not see him, then God could also not see the sin.
Before that, Adam had quiet time with God, didn’t he? They had boundless, unending fellowship. God and Adam walked together in the cool of the evening. Isn’t that a great thought? Imagine taking a walk with God just for Him to ask us, “What’s up? How you doing? Anything I can help with?”
But when there was sin in Adam’s life, he did not want to look God in the face. When there is sin in our life, we cannot look God in the face. It is not about being right or wrong. If we have sinned, we have offended God. Period.
God does not stop loving us, nor does Jesus stop being the Savior. We still have eternal life, but it is difficult to approach God because the relationship is strained.
Do we decide to not have a quiet time with God because we cannot face Him? Maybe it’s because there is sin in our life. Ask God to shine His light into our lives. Then wait for God’s answer so we can repent and have that close walk again with Him.
James 5:16 says that the fervent prayer of a righteous person has power and will see results. That is a true statement, but our prayers are empty if what we say and do are not the same.
With our lips we give praise – with our lives we are wicked.
With our lips we give testimony about God’s greatness – with our lives we lie.
With our lips we hail others – with our lives we hurt and destroy.
Many prayer lives are paralyzed, polluted, poisoned, and powerless because the character does not match up with what one does.
Pastor Gary Baugh says that if given the chance:
Sin will replace love with lust
Sin will replay joy with sorrow
Sin will replace comfort with chaos
Sin will replace gladness with grief
Sin will replace generosity with greed
Sin will replace blessing with burden
Sin will replace hope with hope with despair
But there is hope. Matthew 6:33 calls us to seek FIRST God’s Kingdom. Yes that includes HIS will, HIS plan, and HIS righteousness. And then, and only then, will God add the blessings, the close walk with Him, and the answer. Do not get upset if God does not answer the way WE want Him to answer. The answer belongs to Him and He knows what is best for us.
Submit to God’s leading and forgiveness. “Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of HIS glory and grace.” Find time to be quiet and walk with God. Let Him show you where and how to improve. He alone is righteous. He alone is GOD.
Hello Again!!
7 years ago
