Brian’s Quiet Time Thoughts.

Peter had things he wanted his readers to remember, but not only remember but that they may carry on after his departure. There is a season for everything under heaven.  I am taking some time to reconsider how I do Brian's Quiet Time Thoughts. I will be changing from a quiet time approach to a Bible study approach. Which means that instead of doing one every morning I will be working on them through the day to establish a time and structure to my Bible study routine.  Some of you may enjoy getting these but I do not what you to rely on me for your growth so I wanted to remind you how to feed yourself.  So what does it mean to have a quiet time? This is a time spend reading your Bible and anticipating that God will talk to you through His word and in return, you will pray back to God what he is speaking to you. Now some of you will wonder if God wants to speak to you. I want to encourage you that He does. Brain's Quiet Time Thoughts was born out of a desire for God to speak to m

The saints in the church of Ephesus were faithful during the time of Paul, 60-61 AD, but by 81-96 AD when John wrote revelation they had lost their first love. So what happened in 20 years to the Church in Ephesus to go from faithful saints to having lost their first love? Growth, spiritual influence, and accountability are some factors that might have steered the church away from Jesus.  Growth in the church causes a less personal church. When the church is small every member has connections to the other members it may be family ties, a co-worker, or family friends. The leadership of the church is more connected to the individual members and the pulse of the church can be more unified. They can help each other to be more faithful to Christ. Now when a church reaches Mega status a family may get lost among the crowd because they are only acquainted with one or two other people. The leadership now has to appeal to the larger crowd and is less connected to the individual. The megachurch

When we don't limit God He can do above and beyond what we can ask or think. To that note, He can also work in us to do above and beyond what Jesus did. “I assure you: The one who believes in Me will also do the works that I do. And he will do even greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. John 14:12 HCSB https://bible.com/bible/72/jhn.14.12.HCSB   Why? Because the whole trinity is working together to win the souls of the pre-saved. And we are just the vessels that God chooses to use. He could have chosen to use animals, angels, or rocks to do it, but instead, He chooses us, imperfect people, to reach out to imperfect people with the perfect gospel for their salvation. This should give us a sense of worth. God wants to use us! He does not have to, but He wants to. Why?  So that He may get the glory.  He answered, “I tell you, if they were to keep silent, the stones would cry out! ” Luke 19:40 HCSB https://bible.com/bible/72/luk.19.40.HCSB Then the Lord opened the

7. So you may be filled with all the fullness of God. How are we to be filled with all the fullness of God? We are to be strengthened through His Spirit. The Messiah is to dwell in our hearts. And we are to comprehend the love of The Father. When all three persons are working in our lives then we are living in the fullness of God. But when we limit the work of one of them then we are limiting God!  How do we limit The Holy Spirit? Do not quench [subdue, or be unresponsive to the working and guidance of] the [Holy] Spirit. 1 Thessalonians 5:19 AMP https://bible.com/bible/1588/1th.5.19.AMP By being unresponsive to the moving and workings of the Holy Spirit. If the Holy Spirit tells us to do something then we are to do it. If the Holy Spirit wants to act through you do not stop Him! How do we limit Jesus?  Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your heart

6. I pray that you may be able to know the Messiah’s love that surpasses knowledge. This is My command: Love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, that someone would lay down his life for his friends. John 15:12‭-‬13 HCSB https://bible.com/bible/72/jhn.15.12-13.HCSB The love of Jesus is that He laid down His life for all the people of the world, everyone past, present, and future. Jesus laid down His life for everyone from Adam and Eve to the last person born during His 1,000-year reign.  This was his mission here on earth.  When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished! ” Then bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. John 19:30 HCSB https://bible.com/bible/72/jhn.19.30.HCSB The love of Jesus is uncomprehendable to those who have not yet been drawn to Him. Why would a just and holy God come to earth and walk with a perverse and sinful people? Why would a God subject Himself to the cruel torture of dying on the cross? Why would He allow sin

5. I pray that you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height, and depth of God’s love. What is the length of God's love?  As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. Psalms 103:12 HCSB https://bible.com/bible/72/psa.103.12.HCSB As far as the east is from the west. The farther we travel west the more west we become even if we circle the earth five times we are still going west. If we were to map the extent of God's love around the world it would look like a big hug wrapping around the world countless times.  What is the width of God's love?  The city is laid out in a square; its length and width are the same. He measured the city with the rod at 12,000 stadia. Its length, width, and height are equal. Revelation 21:16 HCSB https://bible.com/bible/72/rev.21.16.HCSB 12,000 stadia equals about 1,400 miles. God's love is providing a new Jerusalem that is 1,400 miles wide, long, and high. He is

4.Being rooted and firmly established in love. The church in Ephesus already had love figured out. Paul is telling then and us that they were already rooted and established in love. The anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you don’t need anyone to teach you. Instead, His anointing teaches you about all things and is true and is not a lie; just as He has taught you, remain in Him. 1 John 2:27 HCSB https://bible.com/bible/72/1jn.2.27.HCSB About brotherly love: You don’t need me to write you because you yourselves are taught by God to love one another. In fact, you are doing this toward all the brothers in the entire region of Macedonia. But we encourage you, brothers, to do so even more, to seek to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, so that you may walk properly in the presence of outsiders and not be dependent on anyone. 1 Thessalonians 4:9‭-‬12 HCSB https://bible.com/bible/72/1th.4.9-12.HCSB “Write to the a

3. I pray that the Messiah may dwell in your hearts through faith. Does the Messiah dwell in our hearts? Does Jesus occupy all of our hearts? There is a booklet that is entitled "My Heart Christ's Home" and in it, the writer goes through and describes each room of the house. He proceeds to give Jesus a grand tour, but when Jesus presses him about a certain room or closet the writer tells Jesus that He cannot go in there because it is not yet cleaned up for Jesus. He makes the point that we can do that with people in our homes but Jesus knows all that is in our life and He wants 100% Lordship of us to Him.  But even if you should suffer for righteousness, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear or be disturbed, but honor the Messiah as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. 1 Peter 3:14‭-‬15 HCSB https://bible.com/bible/72/1pe.3.14-15.HCSB For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Chr

2. I pray that He may grant you to be strengthened with power in the inner man through His Spirit. God has strength and power for all of us. This power is not dominion, power over others, but it is a servant power to others. It is not a weak power but it is His power through His Holy Spirit.  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends   of the earth.” Acts 1:8 HCSB https://bible.com/bible/72/act.1.8.HCSB And look, I am sending you what My Father promised. As for you, stay in the city until you are empowered from on high.” Luke 24:49 HCSB https://bible.com/bible/72/luk.24.49.HCSB It is a witnessing power. Then Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commande

This is the second of two prayers of Paul found in Ephesians. The first is found in chapter 1. We may be talking about chapter 1 after verse 21. I will try to walk through this prayer phrase by phrase. 1. According to the riches of His glory.  How is God not rich? In Him, we have all things. He holds it all in the palm of His hand. Does He lack anything in wealth, love, glory, mercy, grace, and holiness? He lacks in honor, not because He does not deserve it, but because we don't give it to Him. We all have the choice to praise Him for everything good and bad in our lives, or we can praise Worry and Fear for all that we think is not going right. Which one will we choose?  Each of the four living creatures had six wings; they were covered with eyes around and inside. Day and night they never stop, saying: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God, the Almighty, who was, who is, and who is coming. Revelation 4:8 HCSB https://bible.com/bible/72/rev.4.8.HCSB These four creatures testify of the glory o

For what reason does Paul kneel before the father? So that His chains should be an encouragement to the readers of Ephesians. So then I ask you not to be discouraged over my afflictions on your behalf, for they are your glory. Ephesians 3:13 HCSB https://bible.com/bible/72/eph.3.13.HCSB Why does Paul say that all the families are named by God? The first thought that comes to mind is that God is the Father of all people. No matter what "science" says man was created by God!  Then the Lord God formed the man out of the dust from the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being. The man gave names to all the livestock, to the birds of the sky, and to every wild animal; but for the man no helper was found as his complement. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to come over the man, and he slept. God took one of his ribs and closed the flesh at that place. Then the Lord God made the rib He had taken from the man into a woman and brou