So what are you saying?

"A deliberate time of solitude where you intentionally seek the presence of God through reading of Scripture, meditation, prayer, and praise."'


That's my definition of an "Encounter Time".  So why/how did I come up with this definition?  The answer is simple.  I wanted to address two particular issues: 1) what was wrong with the Quiet Time (at least how I was taught) and 2) what was missing from the Quiet Time.


The 7 main elements of my definition all address one of those  2 issues.  Furthermore, those 2 issues can be summarized into 1 issue -  taking time to commune with our Heavenly Father, not fulfill some religious obligation.


Those 7 items are:

1.  "Deliberate" - that is why it is called a spiritual DISCIPLINE.
2.  "Solitude" - we can't give God quality time if we don't give him the platform
3.  "Intentionally seek the presence of God" -the birthright of every believer (Stephen Eyre, Drawing Close to God)
4. "Scripture" - the Bible, the thing collecting dust on your night stand
5. "Meditation" - its not just for Buddhists
6. "Prayer" - more than just your grocery list for God
7. "Praise" - I can do that at home?      

I will begin addressing each one of those issues in the next few days.  I will start with solitude, and to be honest I think it is the hardest.  Not only is it the hardest, I'm not too sure its not the most important.  It sets the foundation for the others.

So until next time think about this:

 Mark 5.16 - "But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray." NASB

Jesus was busier, doing more important stuff than we will ever do, yet He took time out to spend with His Heavenly Father.  Why don't we?


Wag out!

Outake, Intake, Upkeep, Downfall

I think it is an old Navigators cliche:

"If your outtake exceeds your intake then you upkeep will be your downfall"

Fulls of hooks, but also full of a lot of truth.

I love serving the Lord and I love serving my local church.  I'm currently a deacon, sing in the choir, sing on one of the praise teams, help lead a Home Team, and about to begin teaching 4th through 6th grade boys Sunday School.  And sometimes I sleep.  Sounds like a lot, but I know there are a bunch of church members out there who do just as much if not more.  Honestly I don't think I would have it any other way.  That's just how I roll.

A few years (okay close to 30 years ago) I had the opportunity to spend a weekend studying a book written by a missionary from the Congo.  Outside of the Word of God, this book was the most life changing thing I've ever read.  My whole philosophy of ministry changed.  There were many deep truths.  The most important for me was talking about "overflow".  Ministering from an "abundant life" and "cups that runneth over" (a.k.a, your overflowing intake becomes your outtake). 

So that's why I believe that Christian's who have a heart to serve God in whatever capacity MUST have a consistent Quiet Time, Devotional Time, [insert whatever term here].  We must have more coming in than going out.  Not for more "material", but just in the name of our own spiritual growth.

The problem is that most of us treat our Quiet Time more as an outtake than an intake.  More Martha and not Mary.  So I have made an attempt to redefine it to be more of what I believe it should be.  More like how the devotional masters of old treated it.

So my working definition is as follows - An Encounter Time is "A deliberate time of solitude where you intentionally seek the presence of God through reading of Scripture, meditation, prayer, and praise."


For those of you familiar with Lectio Divina I know this sounds very similar, but I actually had this done before I ever even heard of Lectio Divina...