Spiritual
Spiritual Disciplines
The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the Lord; they flourish in the courts of our God. They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, to declare that the Lord is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.” Psalm 92:12-15
The important thing to understand in spiritual development is that because you are dealing with unseen things in an unseen realm, you have no ability to affect them directly. To speak in general terms, putting yourself in the presence of a spiritual being submits yourself to His influence. This is partially why worshipping other gods is so forbidden, it has spiritual ramifications. But if you are putting yourself in the presence of God, then you are submitting yourself to being shaped by Him. As in any relationship, the other person decides what activities connect with their heart or not. So only God can determine which activities connect with His presence. These activities have become known as Spiritual Disciplines.
Understanding Spiritual Disciplines
Ultimately, any goal of spiritual disciplines besides being with God is an improper goal. But what we can desire is to experience Him through the disciplines in the best way possible. The Temple in the Old Testament shows us that there are proper and improper ways to enter into God’s presence. And while the sacrifice of Christ washes us from our sin so that we can enter in, that does not mean we have complete control to do as we please, acting in any manner we want in our relationship with HIm.
Think of it like this. A child has access to the parents’ house simply because he/she is their child. But the relationship is still affected by how much the child tries to honor the parent. So it is with God. Through Christ, we are His children and therefore have access like a child, but don’t think that means our relationship isn’t affected by whether or not we live in a manner pleasing to Him. And nothing pleases Him more than following His Son in trying to be close to the Father.
Think of it like this. A child has access to the parents’ house simply because he/she is their child. But the relationship is still affected by how much the child tries to honor the parent. So it is with God. Through Christ, we are His children and therefore have access like a child, but don’t think that means our relationship isn’t affected by whether or not we live in a manner pleasing to Him. And nothing pleases Him more than following His Son in trying to be close to the Father.
Rules for Spiritual Disciplines
1. Disciplines must be practiced through faith in Jesus Christ. (Hebrews 11:6)
2. Above anything else, the heart of the disciplines must be to delight in the presence of God. (Psalm 1)
3. Spiritual fruit is evidence of the spiritual life shaped by God. (Ephesians 5:7-10)
2. Above anything else, the heart of the disciplines must be to delight in the presence of God. (Psalm 1)
3. Spiritual fruit is evidence of the spiritual life shaped by God. (Ephesians 5:7-10)
While there are a number of disciplines to help us draw near to Him, this program focuses on four.
Word
Prayer
Fellowship of the Saints
Worship
Spiritual Disciplines Coaching
The following steps are coaching sessions designed at helping you improve your engagement in spiritual disciplines. For each session follow these steps.
- Do the pre-work questions and email me the answers.
- Schedule a coaching session.
- Spend about two weeks establishing improved habits with the spiritual discipline.
- Fill out an evaluation and email it to me.