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Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Spiritual Disicplines...

Following are some kickstarts to some of the Christian Spiritual disciplines with some beginning exercises for each discipline summarized from some entries in the NRV Spiritual Disciplines Bible:

Fasting

Hungering for God’s deliverance 2 Chronicles 20:3

Don’t wait for the Moabites to come marching in before practicing fasting. Practicing fasting, dependence upon God, prior to emergencies leads to the natural practice of looking to God when emergencies do happen. Start off practicing a short 24-hour fast, lunch to lunch. Drink plenty of water, perhaps with a bit of lime or lemon. Expect distractions and some discomfort--use distractions and discomfort to turn to God in thought and prayer. Keep a journal/phone/pad handy to record insights throughout the day.

Service

Leading by serving Mk 10:41-45

Though God is all powerful and worthy of all honor and glory, he became a suffering servant (Is 53.) In the eyes of God, greatness is not measured by where we stand but by where we kneel. Where are you most tempted to seek places of honor? Church? School? Sports? What one step can you take to free yourself from seeking your own interests and to begin focusing on serving others? Write it down and let your friend know.

Repentance & confession

The 10 Commandments: A gracious moral inventory Ex 20:1-17

By God’s grace, a moral inventory of our past behavior compared to the 10 commandments is not a process of despair but rather restitution, reconciliation and renewal. Examine your spiritual life by reflecting on each of the commandments. How does each one apply to you--both in attitude and behavior. What causes you the most concern? What causes you the least? How can you make the Ten commandments a regular part of your daily confession to God?

Stewardship

A way to remind yourself Deut 8:17-18

Prosperity can lead to spiritual amnesia. If we allow ourselves to be numb to God through comfort and prosperity (America is still the most prosperous world nation), we will pay the price. Do you consider your money a reminder of God’s provision? Can you remember living “manna” to mouth? How did it affect your spiritual life living on more manna and less money? Read Deut 8 noting the promises of God’s provision. Record as many specific occasions as you can remember that God has provided for you.

Spiritual Friendship

But isn’t God enough? Gen 2:18

Our spiritual journey is not a solo journey. Spiritual friendships can heighten our awareness of God’s presence, provide accountability, and provide encouragement. Who encourages your spiritual vitality? Who is trustworthy? Make a list of some people and spend time praying for God to lead you into a deeper “soul” friend relationship. If you already have a close Christian relationship as such, pray for God to lead you in deepening that friendship. Include who God has laid on your heart about your intention to deepen in fellowship.

Prayer

Exploring God’s Mercy, Learning God’s Heart Gen 18:1-33

Prayer can be one of the most frustrating yet rewarding disciplines. Prayer begins not with requests but with our relationship with God. Reflect on your view of God. How do you think God views you? Is there someone you know in a bad situation, or is something overwhelming you with anxiety? Talk with God about it as a conversation with a special friend that wants the best for you and for all.

Bible Study & Meditation

Handwriting on the heart Deut 17:18

Israel’s king had to make his own personal copy of the law. Obedience to God was essential to his effectiveness as a leader. Spend a period of time copying Scripture by hand. Choose one of the shorter epistles or several favorite chapters of the Bible. what do you notice as you copy? As you make your copy, be ready to note insights and ideas in your journal so you can give them thought later.

Worship

Take a Rest Exodus 20:8-11

Few of the spiritual disciplines are clearly commanded in scripture, though some are. Most are accepted because of example and the testimony of God’s people. But observing the Sabbath, a day of rest, is a commandment, to serve as a worshipful reminder of the Lord’s covenant with us and as a means to our well-being. Worship sets the pace for our lives. When was the last time you scheduled a time of doing absolutely nothing? Reflect on you weekly sabbath day. Consider eliminating some activities and adding some restful things like taking a nap, sitting alone with some music, taking a leisurely walk...how do you rest? The purpose is to rest and refresh your soul, not exercise the soul. Remember God’s covenant with you and refresh your soul.

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Spiritual Block

Upon the precipice of being poured out like a drink offering, Paul wrote about the course he had run for Timothy personally and for generations of Christians throughout the history of the church. Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 4:7-8: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing." NAS

Bring pen and paper to a daily meeting with God this week. Pray in the Spirit and listen patiently for His leading. He may be waiting for you to quiet down and so may seem a while in answering. He may answer with conviction of the heart immediately in prayer. He may drop love notes through others or events throughout the day to let you know He's thinking of you and leading you. He may speak through pain to help you grow, or through joy to raise your spirit. He knows what you need more than you, so be open especially in focused prayer, but also throughout the coming week, praying through these areas. Be open to writing down thoughts, convictions, events as they happen and compile them for a Sunday night recap with the Holy Spirit. Lay your thoughts upon your Bible in prayer and work on a journey check up session with Him. What fights has your heart been in--good and bad? What good fights lay ahead for your heart?

What course have you taken with and without the Spirit? Where has He been leading? Where does He lead you now? Follow His steps.

Where have you been faithful? If you've made it through this post and are looking to engage in the exercise, you have a measure of faith. Don't sell yourself short or long...don't sell yourself anything. Wait on the Spirit to tug at your faith to see areas He would like you to grow and areas bringing joy to His Spirit.

Ask God. He loves giving good things to His children. What glorious requests to ask for His Spirit to be alive and active within your heart, to take your feet with His to others who need Him, to live in the security with His promises, His truth...love, hope and faith.

Soli Deo Gloria

In Christ, Andy

Writer's Block!

November 16, 2012
Writing exercises can often jog the pen when it seems dry.

What's your favorite sport? Tell me about a dramatic game with an active voice. Yardage, velocity, power, precision and backspin are all popular and often necessary subjects in sports. While describing running yards or serve speed or slugging percentage, describe in active voice what you saw--or what you see in your imaginary game. "Defensive tackle Page flopped on a Colts' cut block, and then used the center to spring into the backfield, wrapping the quarterback for a loss of 8 yards."or"Defensive tackle Page got an 8-yard sack."While journalism preaches efficiency and lean writing, I'm saying, 'have fun!' Let the reader have some fun, too. Get into the real details and description of the action. I love sports and reading about them, so feel free to leave something you've written about an exciting game--real or imaginary!

In Christ, Andy