Silent Time

Silent Time

By silenttimeReligion & SpiritualityChristianity
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Silent Time episodes

  • This is Love

    "This is love" - might be the title of a song talking about affection and romance. And that is one meaning of the word love, of course. But the much more important meaning of love is to want the best for the other person, to bless, to help and to build up. We are not perfect in that, but God fully shows such love, despite we do not deserve it: this is real love - not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. 1. John 4 [9-11]: This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. And love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as the atoning sacrifice for our guilt, to be the payment for our wrongdoing. God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. If God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. Since the almighty Saviour has helped us, each one of us is called to pass on that love to others, to all family, friends, colleagues, neighbors, etc. This is love.

    Let's pray, starting with words from Psalm 79 [9]: Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name’s sake! Save us and forgive our wrongdoing for the honor of your name. Thank you for your love, grace and help. May you fill us with your Holy Spirit so that we may pass on the blessing that you provide to other people. Thank you for your love. Amen.

    3 min
  • More Precious Than Gold

    What is more precious than gold? We may think of certain rare materials that are more precious. But for the personal life, other matters are more relevant. What is important for you? Health? Family? Success? Peter explains in his first letter that faith is tested similar as gold is tested: both are tested by fire; and if we hold on to God in faith even when going through fire, through challenges and difficulties, that will turn out more precious than gold. 1. Peter chapter 1 [3 - 7]: Let us give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Because of his great mercy he gave us new life by raising Jesus Christ from death. This fills us with a living hope, and so we look forward to possessing the rich blessings that God keeps for his people. He keeps them for you in heaven, where they cannot decay or spoil or fade away. They are for you, who through faith are kept safe by God's power for the salvation which is ready to be revealed at the end of time. Be glad about this, even though it may now be necessary for you to be sad for a while because of the many kinds of trials you suffer. Their purpose is to prove that your faith is genuine. Even gold, which can be destroyed, is tested by fire; and so your faith, which is much more precious than gold, must also be tested, so that it may endure. Then you will receive praise and glory and honor on the Day when Jesus Christ is revealed. 

    What an outlook! And already here as we walk through the challenges of this life, God promises to be with us, as we can read in the prophet Zechariah chapter 13 [9], God says: I will bring them through the fire, will refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on my name and I will answer them.
    Let's pray: Lord, we thank you that you are always with us, even when we feel like left alone or when there seems to be no hope. Thank you that we can put our faith in you and that you stay with us even through the most difficult times. Thank you that you offer forgiveness and the outlook to participate in your eternal kingdom, which is much more precious than any gold or silver. To you be praise and glory and honor forever. Amen.

    3 min
  • Keep up your Courage

    Keep up your courage

    "Keep up your courage", that can be empty words, if a person is not really interested and just gives such words as a quick good bye. But the same words can also be a real encouragement, if someone is interested and tries to find solutions and offers help and advice. How much more, if the advice is not just from a mere human but from the holy eternal God himself. "Keep up your courage", God told to Paul, when he was brought into the fort on the day after serious accusations before the council by the Pharisees and Sadducees, in that night, the Lord stood by Paul and said "Keep up you courage. Do not be afraid, you have given your witness for me here, and you will do the same in Rome". What an encouragement from the most High. May we pray for God's encouragement for ourselves as well as interceding for others. By the time when Saul hunted after David, in between David would have had the chance to retaliate or even to kill Saul, but he did not, rather he relied on the Lord and said: May the LORD value my life and deliver me from all trouble, 1. Samuel 26 [24]: May my life be precious in the sight of the LORD, and may he deliver me out of all tribulation. 

    3 min
  • Vanities

    What are the vanities you tend to look at? Career, comfort, possessions, pleasure, events, or constant new experiences can all be enjoyed if received with thanksgiving. Yet they shall not become more important than the One who gives every good gift. The word of God reminds us to turn our eyes from looking at vanities. The psalmist prays: “Help me to understand your Law; I promise to obey it with all my heart. Direct me by your commands! I love to do what you say. Make me want to obey you, rather than to be rich. Take away my foolish desires, and let me find life by walking with you.” The psalmist does not reject life’s ordinary gifts. Instead, he asks God to put them in their proper place. Riches, career, and enjoyment cannot give the life that only God provides. They become dangerous when they capture your heart and turn your eyes away from the Creator.

    This prayer is honest because you may not naturally desire what is best. You may need God to reshape your desires. Ask Him to help you understand His Word, love His commands, and choose His way over temporary attractions.
    God’s wisdom is not meant to make life smaller. It protects you from the emptiness of chasing what cannot last. When you walk with Him, you receive forgiveness for your wandering, new beginnings through His grace, and a hope that reaches beyond this life. The Lord gives the lasting treasure, His presence now and His eternal kingdom of peace and joy.
    So thank God for work, possessions, leisure, and opportunities, but do not make them your master. Let Him have first priority. Each day, turn your attention toward the One who knows you, loves you, and leads you into life.
    What are the vanities you tend to look at?
    Let’s pray: Lord, help me to understand and love Your Word. Take away my foolish desires, and teach me to obey You rather than chase riches or temporary things. Guide my family, friends, and those in authority to seek You first. Let us find life by walking with You. To you be praise and glory and honor forever. Amen.

    3 min
  • Detestable

    What is detestable to you? It might be a specifically severe crime. Or something else which is totally not acceptable. 

    God warns his people especially not to involve in occult practices such as fortune-telling, Deutoronomy 18 [10-12] Let no one be found among you who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, nor use spells, nor who is a medium nor a spiritist nor a charmer nor anyone who consults the dead. Anyone who does such practices of darkness is detestable to the LORD, the almight, holy God. 
    What shall we do then? Instead of detestable works of the darkness, we are called to bring fruits of the light, to forward the love and grace of God to other people: Ephisians 5 [9-11]. 

    3 min
  • A Peaceful Habitation

    In the world there is a lot of unrest: in several places there are wars and crimes going on, oppression, discrimination and persecution, so that people need to leave their homes and flee, becoming refugees and strangers. 

    And even in places and countries where all seems to be calm, still there is often strife in the households, envy and greed within the societies, arrogance and selfishness, fear and loneliness. Do you look for a peaceful habitation? 
    A secure dwelling place to live with hope and confidence? That can be found in the almighty God: Isaiah 32 [18]. The eternal creator God offers to everyone who humbly turns to him forgiveness, peace, new beginnings, firm hope for this life and for eternity. The heavenly Father offers membership and citizenship in his kingdom, where we no longer need to flee, where there is no more fear, no more oppression and all that. Everyone who puts trust in the Lord can build on the firm foundation found in the victory of Jesus on the cross: Ephesians 2 [19 - 20].

    4 min
  • An everlasting love

    Have you ever promised an everlasting love? 

    People may promise that when getting married or in other occassions.
    All too often, after a while, people disappoint each other, hurt each other in thoughts and words.
    But there is a real everlasting love, that truely deserves the name, lasting beyond this life, even in eternity.

    4 min

About Silent Time

From the publisher's feed

Welcome to Silent Time, the opportunity to think on what is really important in life.