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                            Dr. Curt Scarborough, President            FreeWay Foundation                September 15, 2006

 

 

The Spiritual Significance of Solitude

(Mark 6:31)

Dr. Curt Scarborough

 

            Our daughter, Karol, was a pre-schooler when we moved to the Water Tower

Baptist Church in St. Louis.  Soon she started asking when she would be old enough

to ask Jesus to come into her heart.  I told her to listen carefully, and God would tell

her when the time was right.  Her childlike reply has stuck with me over 30 years.

"The preacher talks so loud, and you sing so loud, I can't hear God!"

            Consider the spiritual significance of silence and solitude.  Jesus recommended

praying and fasting in the secret place, Matthew 6:6,18.  David wrote, "Be still and know

that I am God," Psalm 46:10.  His "Blessed" man in Psalm 1 "meditates in the law of the

Lord day and night."  David prayed that the meditations of his heart would be acceptable

in God's sight (Psalm 19:14), and Psalm 77:6 says, "I call to remembrance my song in the

night; I meditate within my heart, and my spirit ponders diligently."

            Paul lists a number of virtuous things in Philippians 4:8, admonishing, "Think

on these things."  Joshua's marching orders for conquering Canaan include the

command to meditate daily, Joshua 1:8.

            The first biblical mention of any concept usually is significant and instructive.

Genesis 24:63 is the first time a person is said to meditate.  "Isaac went out to

meditate in the field in the evening," and that place was called Beer Lahai Roi . . .

"The Well of the God Who Sees."

            Several times the Gospels tell of Jesus departing to be alone to pray

(Matthew 14:23; John 6:15; etc.)  He spent all night alone in prayer before choosing

the Twelve, Luke 6:12, 13.  And in Gethsemane, He left the Disciples to watch and

pray while He went alone further into the olive grove to spend time in solitude,

communing with the Father, Matthew 26:39.

            HOW SIGNIFICANT IS SOLITUDE IN THE LIFE OF A PERSON WHO IS

DEDICATED TO SERVE GOD?  Almost without exception, great characters of the

Bible had their life-changing encounters with God during periods of solitude:  This

was true of Enoch, Samuel, and Elijah; of Abraham, David, and Ezekiel; of Moses,

Joshua, and Isaiah; of Peter, Paul, and John.

 

THE BENFITS OF SOLITUDE ARE THREE-FOLD

 

1. Communion

God's presence is experienced, and man worships.  This is the pattern.

So it was in solitude that "Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for

God took him," Genesis 5:24.  In solitude, the boy Samuel first experienced

God's presence when he heard his name called out of the darkness,

I Samuel 3:10.

            The great prophet Elijah experienced the peak of his spiritual communion

            with God, not on Mount Carmel, but in solitude.  Outside a cave, the Lord

            manifested Himself . . . not in the wind, earthquake, or fire . . . but in a

            "still small voice."  I Kings 19:12.

2. Covenant

As the Father's promises are received, and as fulfillment of those promises

are expectantly anticipated, man responds in faith and love.  So it was in

solitude that God cut the blood covenant with Abraham and "horror and

great darkness fell upon him," Genesis 15:18.

In solitude, David heard from God.  Many great songs of worship and

praise, of faith and hope flowed from the pen of this unique Shepherd-King.

The everlasting covenant promise, fulfilled in the Son of David, the Messiah,

no doubt came to this "sweet singer of Israel" as he spent countless days

and nights in solitude tending sheep on the hillsides.

The prophet Ezekiel, during his numerous retreats in solitude, heard and

saw visions of Almighty God too wonderful to articulate or understand.  But

in Ezekiel 37, we can comprehend some of the truths of his "dry bones"

experience . . . and the clear covenant promise that God's breath, the

wind of the Holy Spirit, will come to bring life, v. 10.

3. Commission

As God's purpose is explained, man responds to this revealed divine destiny

with excitement and dedication.  God's commission answers man's burning

question, "Why am I here?"  Most often, God's vision of destiny for our lives

is seen, not in the midst of a great revival meeting, but in a secluded, solitary

place.

So it was in solitude that Moses saw the burning bush and discovered God's

destiny for him.  From that day forward (with a few exceptions) Moses was

surrounded by thousands of people . . . rebellious, contrary, griping people.

But for 40 years he led them because of the commission he'd received in that

solitary, desert place where the bush burned but was not consumed, Exodus 3:2.

In solitude, Joshua, was commissioned to enter and conquer the Promised Land,

beginning with Jericho.  Alone, he encountered the "Commander of the Army

of the Lord," who explained his divine destiny.  So, "Joshua fit the battle

of Jericho, and the walls came tumblin' down!"  Joshua 5-6.  Isaiah's vision

of the Lord "sitting on a throne high and lifted up," Isaiah 6:1, no doubt

came when he was alone.  In solitude he heard the question, "Whom shall

I send?"  And he responded, accepting his great call to destiny, "Here am

I!  Send me!"

 

Quickly fast-forward into the New Testament

 

            In solitude on a roof top Peter experienced communion with God, heard God's

promise of salvation to all within respect to nationality, and followed his destiny as the

first Apostle to take the Great Commission outside the Jewish nation, Acts 10:15.

            In solitude in Arabia, Paul communed with the Risen Christ, received a

theological education on God's promises and he wrote in great detail of God's destiny

for believers and unbelievers.

            Final personal word:  This past 15 years of my life has been more productive

and enjoyable than all the 50 preceding years combined.  WHY?  Because I've

discovered late in life the true spiritual significance of solitude.  Now I spend a

significant portion of my mornings (3 or 4 hours, usually) in solitude . . . studying

the Word, meditating, praying, and listening for the "still small voice."

            My recommendation to all ministers is that we jealously guard our daily

quite time of solitude . . . abiding alone with the Lord.  Consider the tremendous

benefits of Jesus' invitation in Mark 6:31, "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted

place and rest awhile."  It's there we can fully experience the rest He offered in

Matthew 11:28:30.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jesus' "Rest" is the Best

Dr. Curt Scarborough

 

I.  Concentration:  (Observation):

            1.   These verses immediately follow Jesus' prayer of thanksgiving that the

                  Father had revealed Himself to "babes" . . . the disciples, 25-26.

2.       Jesus claimed that the Father had delivered all things into His hands . . .

He was in full control of everything, (27).

3.       Jesus taught that no one knows the Son except the Father, (27).

4.       Jesus also stated here that no one can know the Father except the Son

and those to whom the Son has revealed the Father, (27).   (See John 14:9)

 

II.  Meditation:

1.       Jesus invited physically tired and spiritually weary (sin-burdened) people

to Himself, (28).

2.       To those who come, He GIVES rest, (28).

3.       Jesus next invites them to learn form (and about) Him, (29).

4.       Those who "take His yoke" and learn of Him FIND rest for their souls, (29).

 

III.  Revelation:

1.       The first "rest" represents our salvation . . . a free gift.

2.       This offer is saving grace resulting in spiritual peace with God.

3.       The second "rest" represents sanctification . . . a process of

spiritual growth toward Christ-like maturity. (II Peter 3:18)

4.       This second invitation is to make a discovery through studying

with Jesus and about Jesus.

 

IV.  Applications:  As a Christian, I need to . . .

1.       "Rest" in the assurance of my salvation, which is a gift from

almighty God. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

2.       Know that Jesus' presence with me brings true peace.  (Mark 3:37-41)

3.       Learn more about Jesus, through the revelation ministry of the Holy

Spirit, so that I may grow in spiritual stature . . . to be like Him.

(Ephesians 4:13)

4.       Perceive Jesus' "rest" as both a GIFT and a DISCOVERY.  He is the

"Author and Finisher of my faith," Hebrews 12:2. 

PRAISE AND THANK HIM!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gambling Addictions

by Dr. Bruce Morrison

(first printed November 16, 2001)

 

            When the state of Missouri legalized gambling, they opened the door for

individuals to become so enmeshed in the addiction of gambling that they literally

lose everything they have.  I was talking to a friend in a local Christian counseling

agency recently and he told me that his case load directly linked to gambling issues

has doubled.  He anticipates more increases as society desensitizes itself to the

evils of gambling.  Today, Americans are spending multiplied billions of dollars on

gambling, both legal and illegal, each year.  Legitimized or not, the results are still

the same.  Ninety-eight percent of all gamblers win little or nothing, and many lose

everything!

 

            We must ask ourselves why people turn to gambling.  Some gamble to

supplement their incomes, but few are successful.  Some just gamble for "fun." 

They set a limit for loses and then quit.  This is a very small number of gamblers. 

Still others are what you might refer to as "social gamblers"; they buy one or two

lottery tickets each week and hope for the big win.  It rarely comes.  The last group

are the ones we will see in counseling.  These are the ones who gamble compulsively

and cannot stop on their own.  They will lie, cheat, and steal to keep their addiction

alive.  There are many reasons why gambling is wrong.  Let's look at a few of them. 

It accentuates one's lack of contentment (I Timothy 6:6-8).  It causes a person to

yield to temptation and human desire (I Timothy 6:9).  Materialism is at an epidemic

level in America.  Another reason is that gambling promotes trust in wealth, not God

(I Timothy 6:10; Proverbs 11:28).  The prophet Jeremiah warned the Israelites

concerning placing their trust in things other than God (Jeremiah 17:5-8).  Gambling

is a sin because it promotes idolatry (Exodus 20:3).

 

            What are the steps to freedom?  In his book entitled Counsel Yourself and

Others From the Bible, Bob Moorehead outlines nine steps to be taken to break

the bondage of gambling addiction.  FIRST, stop gambling immediately and pay off

all existing gambling debts as quickly as you can (Proverbs 28:13).  SECOND, confess

to God that what you've done is sin and claim His forgiveness (I John 1:9).  THIRD,

admit that in and of yourself you cannot break your addiction to gambling and must

rely on God's power (Romans 7:14).  The FOURTH step is to set aside one hour a

day, early in the morning, to have a meaningful, quite time of prayer and Bible study

(Psalm 5:1-3).  The FIFTH step is to find a friend who will be tough with you, to whom

you can be accountable (James 5:16).  The author's SIXTH step requires the

acquisition of a new set of friends that in no way includes any of your old gambling

cronies (I Corinthians 15:33).   The SEVENTH step is to apologize and ask the

forgiveness of those you've hurt by your gambling (Matthew 5:23-24).  The EIGHTH

step is to begin to tithe your income to your local Church (Malachi 3:10-11).  The

NINTH step is a very logical step, but certainly a very important one; avoid gambling

of any kind.  If you examine these steps closely, you will discover that they will, with

very little modification, basically work with any kind of addiction.

 

            You may not have encountered this problem yet in your pastoral counseling,

but you will.  When you do, consider what has been said here.  The resource cited

above is published by Multnomah Books (1994).  It also deals with 29 other common

(and not so common) problems people face.  Each is addressed from a Biblical

perspective.  This is a source worth having on your shelf.

 

 

             

 

 

 

             

             

      

 

  

           

           

 

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