DOING THE SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES TOGETHER A Study Based on Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life By Donald S. Whitney PLACING OURSELVES IN THE PATH OF GOD S GRACE
The Spiritual Disciplines are a PRACTICAL set of activities that help us in our PURSUIT of realizing the fullness of His gracious PROVISION. They are about becoming what we already are
We practice Spiritual Disciplines not as an ends but as A MEANS of TRAINING ourselves for godliness INTIMACY WITH Christ and CONFORMITY TO Christ We want TO OBEY the Scriptures, placing ourselves in the PATHS OF GOD S TRANSFORMING GRACE
BIBLE INTAKE Hearing the Word Memorizing the Word Reading the Word Meditating on the Word Studying the Word 60 # of People 57 Reading 44 50 40 30 Studying 40 Listening 31 Memorizing 23 Meditating 26 20 10 0 Not Yet 1
PRAYER 1. The Importance of Prayer 2. The Barriers to Prayer 3. An Approach to Prayer 4. The Promise of Prayer
PRAYER 1. The Importance of Prayer 2. The Barriers to Prayer 3. An Approach to Prayer 4. The Promise of Prayer Prayer is expected as a norm by Jesus in the gospels Prayer was a foundational practice of the church in Acts Prayers was taught and encouraged by the apostles in the epistles
PRAYER 1. The Importance of Prayer We don t plan for prayer 2. The Barriers to Prayer We doubt anything will happen if we pray 3. An Approach to Prayer 4. The Promise of Prayer We lack a sense of the nearness of God We have little awareness of real need We haven t learned about prayer We find prayer boring
PRAYER 1. The Importance of Prayer 2. The Barriers to Prayer Prayer can become boring when we say the same old things about the same old things. 3. An Approach to Prayer 4. The Promise of Prayer To not say the same old things...... when you pray, pray through a passage of Scripture, especially a Psalm
PRAYER 1. The Importance of Prayer 2. The Barriers to Prayer Perhaps no principle is more taken for granted than this one... 3. An Approach to Prayer 4. The Promise of Prayer PRAYER IS ANSWERED!
WORSHIP
WHAT MAKES FOR BAD WORSHIP?
WORSHIP IS A DISCIPLINE TO BE CULTIVATED Describing contemporary man, someone has said, "He worships his work, works at his play, and plays at his worship."
WORSHIP IS A DISCIPLINE TO BE CULTIVATED Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe... (Hebrews 12:28 ESV)
WORSHIP THAT IS BOTH... WHAT MAKES FOR ACCEPTABLE WORSHIP? Public Private A Duty A Privilege In Spirit In Truth A Focus A Response An End & A Means
AN END AND A MEANS You shall worship the LORD your God... MATTHEW 4:9-10 Man s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever. Westminster Shorter Catechism Oh come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker! PSALM 95:6-7... at the name of Jesus every knee should bow... To the glory of God the Father PHILIPPIANS 2:9-11
AN END AND A MEANS People become like their heroes and idols. The more we worship God, the more we become God-like.
FOCUS AND RESPONSE προσκυνεώ proskuneo to kiss the hand... to fall upon the knees and touch the ground with the forehead as an expression of profound reverence Worthship To worship God means to ascribe the proper worth to God, to magnify His worthiness of praise, or better, to approach and address God as He is worthy D. Whitney
FOCUS AND RESPONSE Where God is the center of our focus He has the possibility of being the object of our worship. Worship can t be calculated or produced. Instead it is EVOKED; it s the RESPONSE of a heart evoked by the beauty, glory, and allure of the object of your mental FOCUS holy God. D. Whitney... Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus knees LUKE 5:6-8... see My hands... Thomas answered Him, My Lord and my God! JOHN 20:26-28... To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever! REVELATION 5:11-13
5 MINUTE BIBLE STUDY John 4:23-24 1. What do you think it means to worship IN TRUTH? 2. What do you think it means to worship IN SPIRIT?
IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH IN SPIRIT IN TRUTH From the Spirit residing in us The truth of how God has instructed us to worship Him From the Spirit illuminating to us From the Spirit stirring hearts from within us The truth of who God is
DUTY AND PRIVILEGE... true worship always exudes evidence of heartprints D. Whitney
DUTY AND PRIVILEGE Delight yourself in the LORD... PSALM 37:4 May my meditation be pleasing to Him, for I rejoice in the LORD. PSALM 104:34... she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. LUKE 7:38
IN PUBLIC AND IN PRIVATE The core of THE DISCIPLINE OF WORSHIP involves developing the habit of faithfully assembling with other Christians where the primary purpose is to worship God. An isolationist church isn t known in the New Testament The church is A FLOCK The church is A BODY The church is A HOUSEHOLD On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread,... ACTS 20:7... not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some... HEBREWS 10:25 When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation... 1CORINTHIANS 14:26
IN PUBLIC AND IN PRIVATE Jesus habit was to attend PUBLIC worship Jesus also ensured He had PRIVATE audiences with the Father He came to Nazareth... And as was His custom, He went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day... LUKE 4:16 But He would withdraw to desolate places and pray. LUKE 5:16 Jesus expected it would be the same for His disciples... when you pray, go into your room,... and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly MATTHEW 6:6
IN PUBLIC AND IN PRIVATE Can we expect the flames of our worship of God to burn brightly in public on the Lord s Day when they barely flicker for Him in secret on other days? Donald Whitney
HOMEWORK Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness by committing to one or more of the following: 1. Commit yourself to daily worship 2. Commit to coming prepared to worship on the Lord s Day 3. Put actual worship into your acts of worship
WORSHIP
DOING THE SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES TOGETHER PLACING OURSELVES IN THE PATH OF GOD S GRACE