Quiet Time with Commentary - Intro Edition

4W E E K

DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TEENS & ADULTS

ALSO INCLUDES

MOBILIZE FOR THE CAUSE

A GUIDE TO SHARE AND GROW YOUR FAITH

HELPFUL HINTS FOR A DAILY QUIET TIME

The Quiet Time with Commentary was created to encourage and facilitate spiritual growth in the lives of Christians as they conduct their own personal investigation into the Bible. Consider the following helpful hints:

1 Prioritize your time with God. Morning is often best, but choose the time that works for you.

2 As you read the daily passage in God’s Word, look at it from God’s point of view. Meditate on what you have read. (In one sentence, write the main thought).

n Apply the truth to your life. (Use first person pronouns: I, me, my, mine). If you have difficulty finding an application for your life, think of yourself as a Bible SPECTator and ask yourself the following questions:

S – Is there any SIN for me to forsake?

P – Is there any PROMISE for me to claim?

E – Is there any EXAMPLE for me to follow?

C – Is there any COMMAND for me to obey?

T – Is there a TRUTH for me to embrace?

3

Read the commentary portion only after you have read the daily passage. This should provide additional insight into the passage.

4

Be sure to fill out your Quiet Time sheets. This will really help you remember the things the Lord brings to your mind and establish action steps to take.

5

Organizing and documenting your prayer time will help you stay faithful in prayer and rejoice as you see God at work. There are several pages in this book for you to use or you can create your own.

6

Each day, purpose to share something you gained from your quiet time with another person. Whether it’s face to face, through a phone call, text, or on social media, communicating what you have learned from God’s Word encourages others and solidifies its truth in your own heart.

WITH COMMENTARY

MY PERSONAL PRAYER JOURNAL

THE CAUSE CIRCLE

The Cause Circle is a simple tool that will help you be more intentional about sharing Jesus’ message, the Gospel, with your friends. It is built around three simple priorities: Prayer. Care. Share.

Prayer. Jesus knew how important it was to talk to God about people, before He talked to people about God…and the same is true for us. When we start by praying for the people we are seeking to reach with the gospel, it prepares their hearts to hear the good news of Jesus.

Care. Jesus often healed the sick, fed the hungry, and helped the hurting. In the same way, we must show love to those we are trying to reach. We do this by listening to them and caring for them.

Share. We must lovingly share the gospel message clearly and confidently. A restored relationship with God is the absolute best news on the planet, so don’t be afraid to ask them to put their trust in Jesus! If they say “No,” or “Not now,” continue the Prayer, Care, Share process. And if they say “Yes,” celebrate! Then get them plugged into a good church, help them grow deeper in the faith, and challenge them to begin their own Cause Circle of Prayer, Care, Share with their own friends.

MY CAUSE CIRCLE

Below, under PRAYER, write the names of friends and family members that you desire to reach with the Gospel.

Each week, think of ways you can CARE for those you are seeking to reach and make a plan to carry them out.

When you are ready to SHARE the gospel with your friend, think through how you will do this and then write the details of where, when, and how.

MY PRAYER LIST

DARE 2 SHARE CAUSE CIRCLE STRATEGY

PRAYER: Asking God to prepare my friend’s heart to hear the good news of Jesus.

CARE: Asking God to help me love my friend by listening to them and caring for them.

SHARE: Asking God to help me lovingly share the gospel message clearly and confidently with my friend.

What is the writer saying?

How can I apply this to my life?

Praise the Lord for the faithful believers who have had the greatest positive impact on your life.

Christ’s fourth encounter in chapter 2 was no low-key event. On His first trip to Jerusalem, He marches into the temple and runs out the moneychangers, instantly gaining the attention of the rulers of the Jews. The temple was to be a place of worship, not merchandise. In chapter 3, we meet one of these rulers, as Jesus has His fifth encounter with a ruler named Nicodemus. Nicodemus was a Jew and he came to Christ with intellectual needs. In the religious circles Nicodemus traveled in, he was a recognized authority (v. 10), yet he was spiritually blind. He was a Pharisee, a teacher (3:10), and part of the Sanhedrin. Jesus introduced Nicodemus to his need for rebirth. He initially understood this to be a physical rebirth, which would be impossible. Jesus

helped him to understand that He spoke of a second birth into spiritual life (v. 6). Jesus uses the wind (v. 8) to illustrate the ministry of God’s Spirit to Nicodemus. Just like the wind, God’s Spirit moves according to His will and His effect is unmistakable upon the hearts of mankind. Nicodemus is only mentioned in the Gospel of John and only three times. In the three passages, it seems that John focuses on the progression of his spiritual life. Nicodemus appears first in chapter 3, but leaves with no apparent change. Then in John 7:50-51 we find him defending Jesus against charges made by the Sanhedrin. Last, we find him at the Crucifixion (John 19:38-39), with Joseph boldly and publicly standing as a disciple of Christ.

Many who are brilliant and highly intellectual have a hard time grasping the simple truths of God’s Word. Have you been born twice? To be alive is to have experienced physical birth. To be born again is to receive eternal life through placing your faith in Jesus Christ. You must be born again!

What is the writer saying?

How can I apply this to my life?

Pray for those that work with the youth of your church to have love, wisdom, and perseverance.

Nicodemus was not a novice. However, when Jesus taught using a simple earthly comparison between physical birth and spiritual birth, this great teacher could not grasp the simple truth. How would he ever understand heavenly things, which no one had seen (3:12-13)?

Jesus was trying to relate to Nicodemus in terms he could grasp. He uses the account from Numbers 21, which tells of a time in the history of Israel when they complained against Moses and God sent serpents among the people. Many were dying and God instructed Moses to make a bronze likeness of a serpent and raise it on a pole. Those who were bitten were to look upon the serpent and they would live. This required them to believe and look in faith. In the same way, at the cross, Jesus Christ would be raised up, and those who placed their faith in God’s substitutionary sacrifice would be saved. Nicodemus eventually

appeared to understand this (John 19:39). Verse 16 shows the breadth (world); length (gave); depth (not perish) and height (everlasting life) of God’s love. Christ has paid the price for the sin of all men of all time – past, present, and future (1 John 2:2). That means that the only issue left is whether men will believe and receive what has already been provided for them. This means that men go to hell, not because of their sins (plural), but because of the sin (singular) of unbelief. Once in hell, they then pay for their own sins (plural) having rejected Christ’s gift of eternal life. Again, John picks up the theme of light and darkness. Jesus came to bring light to those in darkness. Those who desire to know God are attracted to the light. Those whose deeds are evil reject the light and flee from it, not wanting to be exposed by it.

Are you attracted to the things of God or do you avoid them? Those who are of the light love the light and want to be near it.

John 4:1-15 DAY 3

What is the writer saying?

How can I apply this to my life?

The sixth encounter is with the Woman at the Well, a Samaritan with emotional needs. She will prove to be everything that Nicodemus was not! The rulers, in this case the conservative Pharisees, were concerned about Jesus’s growing success and, unlike John the Baptist, were not happy. Unwilling to escalate the confrontation at this time, Jesus leaves the area of their concentration (Judea) and heads for safer, neutral ground in Galilee. Galilee was safer because ever since 930 B.C. the area was inhabited by non-religious Jews and then even Gentiles, starting in 722 B.C. Around 165 B.C. concerted effort was made by the religious authorities in Jerusalem to colonize the north (perhaps the reason for Jesus’s family living in Nazareth) but it was still the frontier in Jesus’s day. “Must” (4:4) is a moral necessity, not physical, as they could have done what

religious Jews did when traveling north. They could have bypassed the area by crossing the Jordan River and traveling up the east bank. The sixth hour was high noon, normally too hot for the work of carrying water, but this woman avoided the other women of the city out of shame for her lifestyle. She has a smart mouth (v. 9), is argumentative (v. 12) and no doubt loud. She was accurate about the depth of Jacob’s Well. Archaeologists have uncovered it and it is 135 feet to the water table! Jesus does the unexpected and asks the woman for a drink. Note that John finds it necessary to explain that socially Jews would normally not stoop to speak to a Samaritan, much less a woman. Jesus crosses both boundaries to reach this woman. Jesus uses a known item, water, to introduce this woman to the unknown, spiritual life.

To catch fish, you have to go where the fish are! Christ takes the road less traveled and is busy doing His Father’s business. Jesus used things people knew and understood to unfold spiritual truth.

Pray that your pastor will have God’s wisdom and guidance in the area of counseling.

What is the writer saying?

How can I apply this to my life?

PRAY

The response offered by those who had been miraculously fed was not what Jesus intended. He wanted them to see Him as their Messiah, but they wanted to make Him their king. The miracles were proof of His deity, yet the people were only thinking of the physical. Several times in the various Gospel accounts Jesus tells someone not to advertise His miracles. This is because Jesus did not want people to follow Him just for the miracles. Unfortunately, many in His day saw His miraculous powers as a tool they could use to overthrow Rome and have an independent, prosperous Jewish kingdom. This seems to have been Judas’s problem. It is true that he is called a “thief” (John 12:6), but his financial and political plans seem to have included Christ’s popularity and powers. When Christ failed to use His powers to defend Himself in the Garden

of Gethsemane, Judas realized that his plans had failed, he would not become a prince in the Jewish Kingdom and he, in fact, had sent Jesus to His death. As He often did, Jesus came apart from the crowd to be alone on the mountain. The place was on the western bank of the Sea of Galilee near the city of Bethsaida (Luke 9:10). Jesus had sent the disciples on ahead and had possibly agreed to meet them near Bethsaida (Mark 6:45) on their way to Capernaum. He had remained to see the crowd off and then had gone up into the mountain to pray (Mark 6:46). The disciples had not expected to see Jesus coming to them walking on the sea. This fifth sign demonstrated His power over creation and the ability to transcend the physical limitations that hinder mankind. “With God all things are possible” (Mark 10:27).

Many today seek after the miraculous and the spectacular. God’s desire for man has not changed. It’s that we might look to the Son and seeing with the eyes of faith, believe. What is your motivation in following God?

Pray for those who teach in your church to be faithful to the Word.

What is the writer saying?

How can I apply this to my life?

The response offered by those who had been miraculously fed was not what Jesus intended. He wanted them to see Him as their Messiah, but they wanted to make Him their king. The miracles were proof of His deity, yet the people were only thinking of the physical. Several times in the various Gospel accounts Jesus tells someone not to advertise His miracles. This is because Jesus did not want people to follow Him just for the miracles. Unfortunately, many in His day saw His miraculous powers as a tool they could use to overthrow Rome and have an independent, prosperous Jewish kingdom. This seems to have been Judas’s problem. It is true that he is called a “thief” (John 12:6), but his financial and political plans seem to have included Christ’s popularity and powers. When Christ failed to use His powers to defend Himself in the Garden

of Gethsemane, Judas realized that his plans had failed, he would not become a prince in the Jewish Kingdom and he, in fact, had sent Jesus to His death. As He often did, Jesus came apart from the crowd to be alone on the mountain. The place was on the western bank of the Sea of Galilee near the city of Bethsaida (Luke 9:10). Jesus had sent the disciples on ahead and had possibly agreed to meet them near Bethsaida (Mark 6:45) on their way to Capernaum. He had remained to see the crowd off and then had gone up into the mountain to pray (Mark 6:46). The disciples had not expected to see Jesus coming to them walking on the sea. This fifth sign demonstrated His power over creation and the ability to transcend the physical limitations that hinder mankind. “With God all things are possible” (Mark 10:27).

Many today seek after the miraculous and the spectacular. God’s desire for man has not changed. It’s that we might look to the Son and seeing with the eyes of faith, believe. What is your motivation in following God?

Pray for an unsaved friend or family member.

What is the writer saying?

How can I apply this to my life?

Pray for the single parents in your church to be consistent and to persevere in patience and love.

Many who heard His words at the Feast of Tabernacles were convinced that He was their Messiah and believed (v. 31). The Jewish leaders only increased in the hardness of their hearts and their rejection (v. 30). Finally the Jewish authorities decided they had to act. The “chief priests” (v. 32) were from the party of the Sadducees. They controlled the Temple. The Pharisees were the pastors of the people and controlled the synagogue system. They normally did not get along, but now they joined hands against Jesus. Jesus predicts His imminent death and departure to heaven (at the next Passover six months ahead). His words went right over their heads (v. 36). Interestingly, they did wonder if He intended to take His Gospel to the Gentiles (v. 35)!

During the Feast of Tabernacles, every day the High Priest would lead a procession from the Pool of Siloam with water in a gold pitcher to pour out at the temple. They were thanking God for the rains

that gave the good harvest and they were praying for the rains to come again for the next harvest. During the procession they would quote Isaiah 12:1-4, “And in that day thou shalt say, O LORD, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me. Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.” With this as a backdrop, Jesus stands on the eighth day and calls out to the spiritually thirsty crowds (v. 37). Jesus proclaimed that He was the source of true satisfaction and that those who find this satisfaction would become a source of refreshment to all (v. 38).

John says that the “water” is the “Holy Spirit” (v. 39). Will we allow the Holy Spirit to refresh and empower us today?

What is the writer saying?

How can I apply this to my life?

The episode in chapter 8 is designed to entrap Jesus and discredit Him. The scene begins on the Mount of Olives where He is already ministering to a constant stream of people (v. 2: “came” actually means were coming, indicating constantly). The Pharisees show up with a woman taken in the very act of adultery. (Where was the man?) The tense of the verb say (v. 4) indicates that they were repeatedly saying. Their statement about the Mosaic Law was accurate although God in His grace did not always insist on capital punishment, such as in the case of King David. They were hoping to either accuse Him of contradicting Moses or of contradicting Roman law, which did not allow the Jews to inflict capital punishment. It seems that Jesus was embarrassed by the crassness of their treatment of the woman (v. 6). He brilliantly avoids the trap by putting

it back on them to fulfill the Law, if they are worthy. John uses an unusual word for “wrote” in verse 8, which means to write down a record as in an official court document. Perhaps Jesus recorded their secret sins as they then began to disappear. Christ succeeded in turning another challenge back on His interrogators when questioned about the tribute money [(“Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.” (Matthew 22:21).] In neither case did He really answer their question, but rather He exposed their ulterior motives for asking the question. Out of gratitude for His gracious treatment, the woman awaited His direction. It is established that not one of the men stayed to pursue the matter. Jesus does not condone the woman’s sin, but releases her with the admonition to cease her life of immorality.

We are to hate the sin, but love the sinner. Jesus associated with the dregs of society. They were the ones who needed the doctor. He did not water down His demands, however. Sinners were forgiven, but expected to repent and forsake their sin.

Pray for the elderly and those who are shut-ins in your church.

MOBILIZE FOR THE CAUSE

A GUIDE TO SHARE AND GROW YOUR FAITH

This guide is designed to help in two ways.

For those of you who have recently put your faith in Jesus for the forgiveness of sins and received eternal life, these lessons will show you how to have a meaningful relationship with Jesus and guide you in sharing Jesus with your friends.

For those of you who have led a friend to faith in Jesus, these lessons will help you teach your friend how to have a meaningful relationship with Jesus and how to share Jesus with their circle of friends.

Jesus said we should go and make disciples (Matthew 28:19–20). As you progress through these lessons, you are joining the greatest cause ever: to reach your generation with the gospel.

Remember, God wants to use you, your words, and your life to reach your friends. It’s time to get going and mobilize for THE CAUSE!

LIFE WITH JESUS LASTS FOREVER

List a few things that don’t last. 1.

Most everything in our world wears out and needs to be replaced. We get new clothes, new phones, and sometimes new friends. When we are really pressed to think about it, we realize not much lasts forever. That is what makes God’s promise of eternal life, life with Jesus forever, so amazing.

Read Romans 6:23

According to this verse, what has God given to us as a gift?

n A better attitude

n Eternal life

n The ability to do good works

Notice that the verse says eternal life is a gift. If something is a gift, all you need to do is receive it and it is yours; there is no work involved!

Read Romans 3:23

According to this verse, what is it that we all do?

n Seek God

n Try to do good

n Sin

If eternal life, life with Jesus forever, depended on you and me being good enough to deserve it, it would be a lost cause because we all come far short of God’s standard of sinless perfection. We all think, say and do things that disobey God; we all have sin as a part of our “DNA.” We were born with a natural propensity to sin. Think about it: no one had to teach you how to lie, you just did it instinctively.

Read John 3:16

This verse says God gives eternal life to everyone who believes. That is so simple. Anyone who believes in God’s one and only Son (Jesus) can have eternal life, life with Jesus forever. Jesus is God. He was born of a virgin and lived a perfect life without sin. Jesus took the punishment for our sins. He died and rose again, proving He is God and has the power to forgive our sins and give us eternal life. By believing in Jesus, we receive the forgiveness of sins and eternal life that lasts forever.

Read John 10:28

What promises do you see in this verse? (Check all that apply.)

n I will never perish.

n If I am a good person, I receive eternal life.

n Jesus gives me eternal life.

n No one will take me out of God’s hand. This verse teaches that eternal life is given, it’s not something you work for or something you have to work to maintain. ETERNAL LIFE IS A GIFT THAT LASTS FOREVER!

We can have confidence that eternal life is a gift from the loving and never-changing God of the universe. The next time you are thinking about those things that DON’T last forever, let it remind you of the one thing that does last forever, eternal life. Remember, eternal life started the day you believed in Jesus and will last forever.

ACTION STEPS

n As you wake up each day this week, take a few minutes to thank Jesus for giving you eternal life that lasts forever.

n Write out a prayer to God thanking Him for the forgiveness of sins.

THE GOSPEL CHANGES EVERYTHING

Watch the Gospel Changes Everything video (Scan the QR code)

All followers of Jesus have a story to tell. It is the story of their life without Jesus, how they came into a relationship with Jesus, and how knowing Him has changed their life. One of the best ways to share the Gospel is to simply share the story of your personal journey to Jesus. To do this, you share what changed your mind about Christ and what has happened to you since. Here is what makes your personal journey to Jesus so powerful:

1. It is intensely personal.

2. It brings the power of the Gospel to life through your story.

3. It’s REAL! It is hard to argue with a transformed life.

Read Mark 5:2-5, 8, 14-20

The man in this story receives deliverance from the possession of evil spirits. When Jesus set him free, and he was back to normal, the man wanted to go wherever Jesus went. The man was grateful for his healing and wanted to be with the person who had changed his life. Jesus had a different plan. He challenged this new believer to go home and tell his story. There were friends, neighbors and family who knew about his awful condition, and now he could share how Jesus changed his life. Jesus said to him, “Go home and tell them all the good things I did and how I saved your life.” Keep in mind that this man was a new believer with no formal training in how to tell others about the change in his life. While we may not have all the answers for a skeptic, our story is real, even if it is not accepted or believed.

Even in the most intimidating situations, the story of how you came to faith in Jesus is simply you telling your personal story.

SHARE YOUR STORY

Think through the story of your journey to Jesus. To tell it well, it is good to write it down. This will help you focus on the main parts. As you are preparing, think about sharing three key things:

1. BEFORE: What you were like before Jesus

Maybe you were wild and crazy, or a partier, maybe life was dark and full of pain, maybe you were a cutter. Maybe you had a fear of dying because you saw a movie about hell. Whatever it was, just tell about life before Jesus. Go to the My Story Worksheet on the next page to outline your life BEFORE Jesus.

2. THEN: The turning point

What was it that helped convince you to believe in Jesus? Were you looking for something more because life seemed empty or hopeless? Was it a Christian friend who had something you didn’t? Was it the feeling of guilt after doing something you knew you shouldn’t? Was it the fear of death or hell?

Remember, your turning point was sent from God to help turn you toward Him, and it may do the same for others as well! On the My Story Worksheet, outline what THEN was your turning point

3. AFTER: What your life is like now with Jesus

The third component should be a brief description of how your life is different since you put your trust in Christ. Maybe you feel unconditionally loved, or the nagging guilt is gone because your sins are forgiven. Whatever it is, share it from your heart, with grit and raw honesty. On the My Story Worksheet, outline what your life has been like AFTER trusting in Jesus.

MY STORY WORKSHEET

Use the following space to write out the story of your journey to Jesus. You can get started with the friend who is going through this lesson with you. Get the basic outline written and then work to complete it by the next time you meet so you can share it and make adjustments.

1. BEFORE: What were you like before you believed in Jesus?

2. THEN: What was the turning point for you?

3. AFTER: How is your life different since you put your trust in Jesus?

ACTION STEPS

n Ask the person doing this lesson with you to share their story with you.

n In the coming week, complete your story so you can share what you have written.

LIFE IN 6 WORDS

Read 2 Corinthians 5:20

From this verse, what can you learn about God’s plan to get the message of the GOSPEL to people who do not know Jesus?

n God Himself will speak to each person.

n God’s plan is to work through me.

n God has no plan to reach people who do not know Jesus.

One thing you need to learn is the “big-picture” theme of the Bible so you can explain it to others. There is a simple acrostic that will guide you in explaining the gospel to those unfamiliar with the Bible so they will understand. The acrostic spells the word “GOSPEL” and shares six key truths.

Learning these truths is like putting in the prep work needed to play a guitar. First, you learn the chords. Chords give you the basics, and as you master them, you can begin to play a simple song that others are willing to listen to! As your musical abilities continue to improve with practice and experience, you’ll progressively improve until you reach the point where you’re able to improvise, be creative, and make your own beautiful music. Mastering these six key truths will prepare you to be used by God to get the Gospel to your friends.

THE G.O.S.P.E.L. ACROSTIC

God created us to be with Him.

Read Psalm 100:3

God’s original plan was that all humanity would be happy and in a perfect relationship with Him. God designed us to be in perfect harmony with Him. We were made to fit together like peanut butter and jelly.

Our sins separate us from God.

Read Romans 3:23

God’s plan for us to live in a perfect relationship with Him was disrupted by an evil act thousands of years ago when Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden. This verse says that every human falls short and cannot keep the perfect standard of God. It’s like having a contest to throw a rock to the moon. No one can actually do it. Some throw it further than others, but everyone falls short of this impossible goal. God is holy and His perfect standard has been violated by everyone, even the best of us. Every person has sinned because sin was passed on to us, it is a part of us, and we cannot change that.

Sins cannot be removed by good deeds.

Read Isaiah 64:6

Many people try to remove their sin by doing good things, but good works don’t work! This verse says that God sees all our attempts to be good as filthy rags. When we do good works to try to make up for our sins, it is like putting white frosting on burnt cake. It puts a covering over something that is bad, but it does not remove the problem.

Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again.

Read Romans 5:8

Jesus rescued us from our sins by being judged by God as if He had committed our sins. He took the full force of the wrath of God for our sins by dying on the cross. Jesus took our place! It is like Jesus pushing us out of the way of an oncoming bus and taking the hit Himself. Jesus was buried and then three days later, He rose from the dead.

Everyone who trusts in Him alone has eternal life.

Read John 3:16

Eternal life is a gift given by God. Jesus paid the price so you don’t have to! Eternal life is free! You do not need to try or cry, you just need to trust in Jesus alone. Like putting your full weight in a chair you sit in, you put your full trust in what Jesus did for you on the cross, not in your own good works.

Life with Jesus starts now and lasts forever.

Read John 10:28

Eternal life starts as soon as you believe in Jesus, when you receive the free gift of eternal life from God.

ACTION STEPS

n Over the next week review the GOSPEL acrostic until you have it memorized.

n Download the Life in 6 Words App on your device.

n In the App, watch one video a day for the next few days until you have viewed them all.

Scan the QR code to download the Life in 6 Words App.