Nancy Leigh DeMoss - A Place of Quiet Rest: Finding Intimacy With God Through a Daily Devotional Life

PART 1
The Priority of a Devotional Life
One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after.

PART 2
The Purpose of a Devotional Life
Teach me your ways so I may know you.

PART 3
The Pattern of a Devotional Life
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up.

PART 4
The Problems of a Devotional Life
I sought him, but I could not find him.

PART 5
The Practice of a Devotional Life
I wait for the Lord and in his Word do I hope.
SECTION 1: Receiving His Word
Mary sat at Jesus feet, and heard his word.

SECTION 2: Responding to His Word
Mary anointed the feet of Jesus.

PART 6
The Product of a Devotional Life
Let my beloved come into his garden and eat his pleasant fruits.

Devotion to the Lord Jesus. We all desire it.

When it comes to drawing close to God, every Christian wants to be plunged under the waterfall of His joy. We want to get our hearts beating in rhythm with His. If were sad, we want His smile. If were lost, we want Him to find us. Lord, embrace me with a passion that seizes and melts me into a union with You that can never be broken. Part the heavens and come down, we pray; throw open the door of my heart and take possession.

Our Christian instincts call for this. Its getting there thats the struggle.

How do we get started? Flip open the Bible and let the Spirit lead? Study a topic? Memorize a chapter? Surround ourselves with commentaries and Bible dictionaries? (We want to do this right!) A carefully structured quiet time with the Lord is good, but a growing life of devotion to the Savior is moremuch morethan Do A, B, or C and you will know Him better.

Personal relationships dont work that way, certainly not when it comes to God. If we want to grow closer to someoneGod or anybodyit means pressing hearts together. Learning how to communicate. Finding joy in each other. Searching out the others soul. A strong relationship is the weaving together of many shared experiences, some of which are serendipitous and off-the-cuff, others of which are structured and well-defined. Such things make for intimacy. Disciplining ourselves to spend regular time with someone, even with God, can be regulated, but not the intimacy itself.

A Place of Quiet Rest is a guide into that intimacy. Rather than a how-to book, Nancy Leigh DeMoss provides for you an excellent road map: a guide using Scripture and hymns, testimonies, poems, counsel, and wisdom to help you know God and be known. A Place of Quiet Rest is anything but a mechanistic approach to cultivating a devotional life with the Lord Jesus; it is a gentle yet clear nudge on every page, a pointing-in-the-right-direction in every chapter. It is a book which will help you encounter God as you push past the regimen to the place where you can embrace the Savior in a naturalno, a supernatural way.

And what will happen when you, in turn, embrace God with a passion that seizes and melts you into sweet union with Him? How will you be affected as you follow the guides in A Place of Quiet Rest? As a saint of old once said, your joy will be fervent but not feverish. You will be energetic but not excitable. You will be speedy in doing things, but not hasty. Prudent, but not selfish. Resolute and fearless, but not rash. You will have joy without a lot of parade and noise. Your soul will be serene, yet people all around you will feel the influence of God.

Its what devotion to Jesus looks like on you.

Want it? Rather, do you want Him?You hold in your hands a splendid guide.

JONI EARECKSON TADA

My friends will tell you that when I am in the midst of a writing project, I sometimes can be heard to moan, Im in labor!

Although I have never given birth to a physical baby, I have been blessed on two occasions to stand by and encourage a friend through the difficult, but rewarding, process of childbirth.

I dont know how much real help I was to my friend. But I do know that the lengthy process of giving birth to this book has been significantly eased by the encouragement and assistance of many friends and coworkers who have been there by my side.

Jim Bell and the editorial team at Moody PressShortly after the Lord nudged my heart to begin writing (which I was reluctant to do), you came along and urged me to do so. I am grateful for your heart to get this message out.

Carolyn NystromYou are a wonderful coach. I have learned much from you. Thank you for your honest input that made this a better book, and for your kind spirit that made it a joy to work together.

Mike, Becca, Monica, Sandra, Gayle, and StephenWhat an incredible staff team you are! You lighten my load in so many ways; you have prayed, served, and given tirelessly so I could focus on this task with a minimum of distractions.

The leadership team of Life Action MinistriesYou released me to write and took many of my responsibilities on your own shoulders to make it possible. For more than twenty years we have labored together in His vineyard. Your lives have molded mine more than you will ever know. I love serving Him with you!

My dear praying friendsHow blessed I am to have you. I am constantly amazed at the way you stand by me and hold up my hands in the midst of the battle. I cant imagine how I could ever make it without the covering and protection of your prayers.

To each of you, I express a deep sense of debt and gratitude. Thank you for being there through the labor and delivery. We have birthed this book together.

Now we give it back to You, Lord Jesus, with the prayer that You will use it to bless Your people and make them fruitful.