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| Even Pastors Too Busy For God |
Posted: 08/15/2007
Even Pastors Too Busy For God
Has the busy-ness of life kept you from spending enough time with God? You're not alone. Sixty percent of Christians worldwide say that they don't give enough time to their relationship with God. Included in these statistics are pastors. Two out of three pastors say that their time with God is less than it should be because of their hectic schedules.
Michael Zigarelli, a professor at Charleston Southern University School of Business, recently published the results of a study in which he polled 20,009 Christians from 139 countries. In North America, Europe and Africa, more than 60 percent of respondents agreed with the statement that "the busyness of my life gets in the way of developing my relationship with God." In Asia and South America, more than 60 percent of males agreed with the statement, but women worldwide are only a little less busy. In North America, women struggle even more than men to make the time to develop their relationships with God. While Christian lawyers topped the list of those whose busyness came between them and God, pastors were also high on the list.
It is easy to relate. Between work, food, laundry, dishes, homework, running kids around and dropping into bed exhausted, it is easy to let our unseen, non-squeaky-wheel Heavenly Father sit at the bottom of the to-do list.
Yet, the time we spend with God is very well the most important, most productive, most necessary time we use all day long.
Consider Daniel
Daniel had a fairly important job; he was made ruler over the entire province of Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar at the height of the Babylonian Empire. He also served as the chief governor over the wise men of Babylon (Dan. 2:48).
It was a dangerous spiritual position for Daniel to be in. He had everything he needed materially. He was an important man and people certainly deferred to him. He had a lot on his mind, a lot of concerns to deal with. A simple temptation for Daniel, especially in a Satanic stronghold like Babylon, would have been great to puff up in self importance and leave God waiting in the prayer closet, behind discarded sandals and old robes.
Yet, we know from Daniel 6:10 that this extremely busy, important man kneeled three times daily to pray and give thanks to God. We do not know how long he prayed; an hour? ten minutes? However long his prayers were in duration, we know he offered them faithfully.
It is therefore interesting to note that Daniel is one of the few major characters about whom the Bible has nothing negative to say.
He is called, "greatly beloved" (Dan. 9:23, 10:11) and, unlike David (whose name means "beloved"), Daniel never fell into any large sin. He remained faithful to God and highly skilled at his job throughout his long life.
That faithfulness was certainly behind his prayer life, but was also likely a result of his prayer. The Spirit of God was with him, so strongly that even the pagan royalty of Babylon recognized it (Dan. 4:8; 5:12; 6:3). In a land teeming with the occult and spiritual warfare (Dan. 10:13), Daniel managed to keep himself clean and unspotted. He has been used mightily by God to minister to God's people, even thousands of years later.
While our busy lives seem to tyrannize us, we often (we know it, too) have our priorities out of kilter. The battles we fight are first and foremost spiritual battles (Eph. 6:12). Our armor is spiritual armor, and prayer is our heavy artillery. If we put our relationship with God first in our lives, our lives may not get easier. However, we will not just be running around doing "busy work." If we put God before us in everything we do, the work we do will produce the results we really want; fruit that lasts.
Prayerfully consider various ways to make your you-and-God time more consistent and real.
Distributed by www.ChristianWorldviewNetwork.com
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THE LORD WAS WITH THEM
| Posted On: 08/21/07 01:43:17 PM |
Age 63, OH |
Men seek experiences instead of the CAUSE of all Godly experiences. Men seek healing instead of the HEALER. Men seek the church instead of the HEAD of the church. Men seek prophets and pastors instead of THE PROPHET AND PASTOR. Men seek doctrine and truth instead of the person of TRUTH. Men seek the way and not the person who is the WAY. Men seek the Book and not the AUTHOR of the Book. Men argue about the "Trinity" and the filling of the Holy Spirit all the while grieving the Person of the Holy Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ. Men seek to serve Him and forget the One who they are to serve. NO MOVE OF GOD STARTS WITH MAN. If the inspiration, desire, courage, words, knowledge, strength, and love did not start and finish with the Lord Jesus Christ then ALL is done in vain. The prophets of old did not speak of their own accord. They went where the Lord told them, when the Lord told them, and said nothing but what the Lord told them to say. They did everything the Lord told them to do but did nothing that the Lord did not tell them to do. A PROPHET OF OLD WAS NEVER TO BUSY TO BE WITH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. For the prophet walked with Him, talked with Him and did everything with Him. When the scriptures say THE LORD WAS WITH HIM, it is true in every way it can be true. They were never too busy to spend time with the Lord, for every moment of their ministry was for Him, through Him, and from Him. They were truly WITH the Lord and dwelt in His presence. How else does anyone think they could have done what they did. Lou
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Re: Even Pastors Too Busy For God
| Posted On: 08/19/07 08:08:40 AM |
Age 43, NE |
The Word and A relationship with Jesus is what we have to keep us going in our ways, Spending time with him is the only secure way we can live peacefully, and secure. Being to busy is what the enemy has used to distract us from Jesus and his word, we need to daily make that choice of Life or Death? And choosing life is were it is at spending time with Jesus and living his word daily, Praying to him and asking him to help us in every area of our life as we are doing dishes and working on our yards involving him in everything as we go to the store to walking the dog why not he is the only way the truth and light without him we are nothing. and busyness to me is just another excuse I can use to not have to look at myself in the mirror, and truly look at my heart to see what I need to choose Life or Death? Satan tries to distract me by busyness, and keep me from Jesus, No way for I am choosing life that is when it all gets done and I only have that when Jesus is involved with me in everything.
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Re: Even Pastors Too Busy For God
| Posted On: 08/17/07 06:05:46 AM |
Age 44, PA |
Just by your statement Chuck, you have elevated men by saying even Pastors don't spend enough time with God, as if these men were better than the rest of the body. The western post Reformation Culture elevates men to idolitris positions with fancy sanctified titles. No believer in the NT ever had a title like the Apostle Paul or Apostle Peter it was allways Paul an Apostle or bondservant etc. Today every proud man has a title, Pastor, assistant Pastor, Pastor's wife, music minister, Apostle, Evangilist...the pride is sickening!
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Re: Even Pastors Too Busy For God
| Posted On: 08/17/07 05:57:59 AM |
Age 28, TX |
I don't know if this would be helpful, but one thing I do to try to increase my "God-time" is to remember that He's always there. If the believer is indwelt, then He really is; and as a woman, I don't need a lot of encouragement to yak away at Someone nearby. It doesn't ALWAYS work, but it does help. --Mrs. Pilgrim
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Re: Even Pastors Too Busy For God
| Posted On: 08/16/07 04:09:15 PM |
Age 41, CANADA |
WoW! What a timely article.
With school out for the past 6 weeks, I have found my alone time with God, prayer and my bible each morning had become non-existant.
After camping for 3 weeks, I had tried without much success, to keep my routine each morning going. I guiltily prayed, forgive me, tomorrow morning I'll be there.
So, after being back home for 2 days, this morning, I got up earlier and said my prayers, read my bible and felt better for the first time this summer!
It's not that I was never aware, or didn't pray or acknowledge God throughout the day, but it isn't the same as putting aside time alone, to really concentrate and meditate on His word.
If you aren;t doing this daily, I encourage you to get up 10 minutes earlier tomorrow morning and just spend time in prayer. Then expand it over the week to another 5 minutes earlier and the next week again another 5 minutes earlier.
Last January I started doing this and I get up 1 hour earlier then my kids to read the bible, pray and spend personal time with God.
It has changed my life. If anyone know sof a good devotional to add on to my studies, I'd love to hear about it. One that is more then a daily reading, but incorporates a study into it.
Thanks and God Bless!
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