PRACTICING BASIC

SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES

CHARLES

STANLEY

Copyright © 2000 by Charles Stanley

All rights reserved.Written permission must be secured from the publisher to use or reproduce any part of this book, except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from THE NEW KING JAMES VERSION. Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Publishers.

Scripture quotations noted KJV are from the KING JAMES VERSION.

ISBN 0-7852-7294-1

Printed in the United States of America

01 02 03 04 05 PHX 6 5 4 3 2

CONTENTS

Introduction: The Strength of the Believer

1. Our Blueprint for Strength

2. Obedience to God’s Commandments

3. Conformation to Christ

4. A Personal Study of the Scriptures

5. Getting to Know the Lord

6. Looking for Christ in All Things

7. Faithful Giving

8. Involvement with Other Believers

9.The Four R’s of Spiritual Growth

10.Ten Hallmarks of Spiritual Strength

Conclusion:The Basics Never Change

INTRODUCTION

THE STRENGTH

OF THE BELIEVER

Of one thing we can be certain today—the Lord intends for our faith as Christians to be “rock-solid.” At no time do we find the Lord calling His people to be weak in spiritual power, wavering in purpose, or wandering aimlessly through life. We are called, rather, to be strong in faith, certain of our salvation, and sure of our direction and eternal destiny.

One of the Bible’s descriptions for the Lord is that of a rock. The psalmist David said this in a praise song to the Lord:

I will love You, O LORD, my strength.

The LORD is my rock and my fortress and

my deliverer;

My God, my strength, in whom I will trust. (Ps. 18:1–2)

Elsewhere in the psalms, David referred to the Lord as the rock of his strength, the rock of his salvation, and the rock of his refuge (Ps. 62:7; 89:26; 94:22). The Lord was his sure foundation, an immovable, impenetrable fortress.

In the New Testament, we find Jesus referred to as our spiritual Rock (1 Cor. 10:4). He is the chief cornerstone on which the entire church has been built (Eph. 2:20).

When we put our faith in God and trust Jesus Christ to be our Savior and Lord, we are placing ourselves on the sure, firm foundation that never falters and never fails. We are placing ourselves on a foundation that does not shift, crumble, or crack. We are placing ourselves on a foundation that is eternal and unchanging.

As part of God’s holy and living temple—a “dwelling place of God in the Spirit”—we are to bear the same qualities as the foundation on which we are built (see Eph. 2:21–22).We are to remain strong in times of crisis or persecution, solid in our understanding of the Scriptures, sure of our relationship with the Lord, and steadfast in our pursuit of all that the Holy Spirit calls us to be and to do. God’s people are to be like boulders in a world of shifting sands.

When the world says that black is white and white is black . . . morals don’t matter . . . and all things are relative—we are to stand strong as Christians, clearly discerning right from wrong, good from bad, and the eternal from the temporary.

When the world calls us to do what “feels good” and justifies behavior under the banner of “everybody is doing it,” we are to stand strong as Christians and declare that our behavior is rooted in our faith, not our emotions, and that even if everybody around us bows to the false gods of this age, we will not bow.

When the world calls us to reject God’s commandments as “old-fashioned” or “out of touch,” we are to stand strong as Christians and declare that God changes not, His commandments are as applicable today as they were in Bible times, and that God is always in touch with the human heart and human need.

When the world calls us to do what is politically “correct,” economically expedient, or morally compromising, we are to stand strong as Christians and declare that we choose to be God’s people, generous in the help we offer to the needy but pure in our hearts and uncompromising in our belief that God is sovereign and that a holy God requires and desires a holy people.

The Prerequisites for Godly Strength

Any athlete knows that to become strong, he must do certain things. He must eat foods that build up the body physically, he must exercise in ways that produce strength, flexibility, and endurance, and he must get sufficient rest for renewal of his muscles. There is a discipline required of those who desire to become good athletes. The greater the person’s desire for greatness, the greater the discipline required.

The same is true for us in our spiritual walk. If we truly are going to be strong in the faith, we must follow a spiritual discipline.

We must take into our lives those things that produce strength in us, and eliminate those things that result in weakness, laziness, or spiritual compromise.

We must exercise our spiritual “muscles”—using our faith in ways that promote the spread of the gospel, strengthen the body of Christ, and meet both the physical and spiritual needs we encounter.

We must learn to “rest” in the Lord—trusting Him always to provide for us and protect us against the enemy of our souls.

The Christian life is not a life lived on a whim, following fad beliefs. It is to be a life of consistent, daily discipline. The apostle Paul challenged the Philippians, “Let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ” (Phil. 1:27). That is our goal always.

A Life of Consistency

As a pastor, I have asked countless people, “How are you doing?” and I have received these replies:

“Oh, I’m having my ups and downs.”

“Well, I’m going through a wilderness time right now.”

“I’m trying to stay on top of things.”

Some have admitted to me:

“I’m not as close to the Lord as I should be.”

“I’ve been away from the Lord but I’m on my way back.”

“I’m dry right now.”

All of these statements say to me that most Christians do not live the consistently strong spiritual life that they desire, and which they know God desires for them to live. They are riding the roller coaster of life, rather than walking a steady, upward path.

When I have asked, “What are you doing to be strong spiritually?” I get a variety of answers, but in many cases, I get a response that means, “I don’t know what to do.” Many haven’t even thought it is possible to live a consistently strong spiritual life. They take ups and downs for granted, and even expect them.

That is not what the Lord desires for us. Paul said to the Colossians, “I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving” (Col. 2:5–7). He assured the Colossians that they would be “holy, and blameless, and above reproach” if they would “continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and [not be] moved away from the hope of the gospel” (Col. 1:22–23).

Paul wrote to the Ephesians, “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” (Eph. 6:10).

What must we do to be strong and to remain strong in spirit?

How are we to discipline our lives to be consistent and unwavering in our walk of faith?

The elements of our disciplined life in Christ are the subject of this Bible study. As you read through these lessons, let me encourage you on these three points:

First, the foundation for our spiritual discipline is the same whether we are newborn babes in Christ—the newly saved—or longtime Christians.We never outgrow our need for the “basics” of spiritual discipline. We never outgrow our need for God’s Word, our need to pray, God’s command to give, our need for Christian fellowship, or God’s call to ministry. No person is so spiritually “mature” that he or she can ignore the basics and remain strong over time.

Second, the foundation for our spiritual discipline is the same regardless of our personal differences. Pastors and laymen need to pursue the same basic spiritual disciplines to be strong in the Lord. Men and women, rich and poor, young and old, highly educated and uneducated . . . all need the same basic spiritual discipline.

Third, the spiritual discipline we are called to pursue in God’s Word is one that we each can pursue. I once met a person who said to me, “I’m just not as spiritual as some people. I struggle more.” The fact is, we all struggle to remain consistent in our spiritual lives. The fact is also this: God has given each of us both the will necessary to pursue a disciplined spiritual life, and the power of the Holy Spirit to help us remain strong and consistent in our spiritual walk. Our will plus the Holy Spirit’s power is true willpower. Every person can become spiritually disciplined.

As you begin this study today ask yourself these questions:

• Would I classify myself as a weak or a strong Christian?

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• Am I as consistent in my spiritual life as I desire to be?

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• What am I doing with regularity in order to remain

spiritually strong consistently?

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LESSON 1

OUR BLUEPRINT

FOR STRENGTH

Every building begins with a blueprint. If the engineering is faulty on the blueprint, the structure will be weak in reality.

The same is true for our spiritual life. The strength of our spiritual life rests first and foremost on the absolute, utter reliability and truth of God’s Word. Thank God we have a blueprint for spiritual strength that does not fail! The Bible is a blueprint on which we can rely with absolute confidence.

This book is for Bible study. It is not a stand-alone manual. I hope that you will refer to your Bible again and again, and that you will feel free to mark specific words, underline phrases, or write in the margins of your personal Bible.

The Bible not only gives us God’s truth, but it also tells us how to apply God’s truth to our daily lives. It is a book of genuine wisdom about how to become strong and stay strong spiritually. It is the reference to which we must return continually to make certain that we are staying “on track” in our spiritual growth.

Just as builders return to blueprints often during the construction of a structure, so we must return to the Bible often during the development of our personal spiritual lives and the spiritual growth of our church.

Keys to Study

You will be asked in this book to identify with the concepts and verses that are presented by answering one or more of these questions:

• What new insight have you gained?

• Have you ever had a similar experience?

• How do you feel about what you have read?

• In what way are you challenged to act?

Insights

A spiritual insight is something that produces a new degree of understanding. It lies beyond the literal understanding of a fact or an idea and moves a person into a deeper level of meaning. Many times we read a particular passage of the Bible and think we know it well, and then God surprises us. Suddenly He reveals new meaning. That is a spiritual insight.

Insights are usually very personal. Most of them involve a way in which the passage applies to something you personally have experienced or are experiencing. Spiritual insights are the direct work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. They are a part of His function as the Spirit of truth. They are very important to us as we seek to grow spiritually and remain spiritually strong.

Ask the Holy Spirit to give you insights every time you open your Bible to read and study it. I believe that’s one prayer God delights in answering with a resounding Yes! In fact, if you haven’t gained new spiritual insights after reading several passages from God’s Word, you probably haven’t been engaged in the process of genuine study. The person who truly studies God’s Word with an open heart and has an eagerness to hear from the Holy Spirit is going to have spiritual insights on a regular basis.

As you receive spiritual insights, make notes about them. The benefit to you lies in the future. When you look back at the margins of your Bible and read what God has shown you or spoken to your heart in the past, and then reflect on how that insight has manifested itself in the subsequent months or years of your life, your faith will grow. I believe it is always a good idea to add a date to a spiritual-insight note you make.

Experiences

Each of us comes to God’s Word with a different background in reading and studying the Bible and with a different level of understanding about the Bible’s contents. We also come to God’s Word with a unique set of personal experiences, cultural experiences, and language ability. Therefore, each of us has a slightly different perspective on any Scripture reading. In a group setting, these differences can sometimes create problems. Those with a long history of regularly reading God’s Word may lose patience with those who are just beginning to study the Bible, and beginners may feel overwhelmed or lost, although neither is necessarily true for all groups.

What we do have in common are life experiences. We each can point to times in which we have found the truth of a Bible passage to be highly relevant or meaningful to our lives. We can recall times when the Bible encouraged, convicted, challenged, or directed us in some way. We have experiences about which we can say, “I know that truth in the Bible is real because of what happened to me,” or “That passage speaks to me because it is directly related to an experience I am having.”

Our experiences do not make the Bible true. The Bible is truth, period. As we share experiences related to God’s Word, however, we discover how far-reaching and amazing the Bible really is. God’s Word applies to human life in more ways than we ever thought! When we share our Bible-related experiences, we see how God’s Word speaks to every person, to every aspect of human nature, and to every human condition or problem.

Sharing experiences is important for your spiritual growth. Not only do you benefit from hearing the experiences of others, but you also benefit from sharing your own experiences. Your ability to verbalize what you believe is strengthened, and in the process, your abilities to witness, teach, and counsel are enhanced.

Our tendency when sharing experiences is to judge the experience of another person in the light of our own experience. A judgmental attitude—especially toward a person’s spiritual discipline or spiritual growth—can do great harm to another person, as well as cause great friction within a group. Listen. Discuss. Talk about what the Scriptures say and mean to you. But be very careful not to judge or to condemn others for their spiritual immaturity or difficulties in maintaining spiritual discipline.

Emotional Response

Just as we each have different life experiences, so we each have our own emotional responses to God’s Word. No emotional response is more valid than another. One person may be frightened by the message of a particular verse or passage even as another person feels great joy or relief at reading the same words. Face your emotions honestly, and allow others the freedom to share their emotions fully.

Our emotions do not give validity to the Scriptures any more than our experiences do. Emotions should never be trusted as a gauge of faith. Our faith is always to be based on what God says, not on what we feel. The Scriptures are true regardless of the emotions they evoke in us. At the same time, we are wise to recognize that the Bible has an emotional impact on us. We cannot read the Bible with an open heart and mind and not feel a particular way. Our emotions are usually related to the way we feel about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the church as a whole, and specific people who may come to mind as we read.

Some people allow themselves to be more vulnerable emotionally than others. Their responses to particular Scripture passages may produce tears or feelings of great elation, longing, or conviction. Allow for the expression of these emotions without judgment in your group setting. Others are more reserved emotionally. This does not mean that they are resistant to God or to the impact of the Bible on their lives. Allow them, also, to “be themselves” emotionally.

Ask yourself why you feel certain emotions. If you feel resistance or fear in your heart, ask yourself why. If you feel sorrow or have a feeling of failure, ask why. Seek answers. Your search for answers can begin a healing or growing process in your spirit.

Bible study groups sometimes get sidetracked by opinions or personal “formulas” for spiritual growth. This can lead quickly to debate, distrust, and confusion. Focus your group sharing on feelings and experiences, not opinions. Scholarly commentaries certainly have their place in teaching us the background of specific passages. But a person’s knowledge and opinion actually have little impact on other people within the context of group Bible study. What God says to us individually and directly is what we find to be truly significant. And God often speaks to us in the language of the heart—the silent language of our intuition, emotions, innermost desires, and unvoiced longings. When we share feelings with one another, we grow closer together. Genuine Christian fellowship and friendship have an opportunity to develop. When we share only opinions, we often fail to find the unity of spirit in Christ Jesus that is deeply satisfying and meaningful to the heart.

Challenges

As we read the Bible, we often come to a passage or insight that seems to speak directly to us. Something challenges us to change an aspect of our lives, to feel chastened and say, “I need to do something about that.”

We may feel a conviction about sin.We may feel a need to correct something in the way we think or the way we act toward others. We may feel a clear call to do something new— to acquire a new habit or start a new ministry. In my life God never ceases to challenge me just beyond my ability so that I must always rely upon Him to work in me and through me.

God is never content with the status quo. He always wants us to grow to be more like His Son, Jesus Christ, both individually and as churches. As I read the Scriptures and pray, or talk about the Scriptures with other people, I often feel those challenges to grow. I believe it is vitally important, therefore, for us to be aware of the many ways in which God speaks to us through His Word to challenge us, stretch us, change us, and strengthen us.

God’s ultimate reason for us to know His Word is that we might share His Word with others—through both our actions and words. God not only expects us to know and believe His Word, but to do His Word—to keep His commandments, to be His witnesses, to carry on His mission in the world, and to act in the specific ways that He directs us to act (James 1:22).

In the area of spiritual discipline, we can expect God to challenge us to grow and mature spiritually. God expects us to become more like Jesus Christ and to be spiritually vibrant and strong. He longs for us to “grow up” spiritually so that we might experience more and more of Him and experience more and more of His rewards and blessings. My full expectation is that as you engage in this study, God will speak to you about His desires for you, especially His desire to have an ever-deepening relationship with you. Be open to His wooing, His commanding, and His challenges.

Personal or Group Study?

Although you certainly may use this book for a personal Bible study, this book has been designed for group study. If you don’t have somebody with whom you can share your insights, experiences, emotions, and challenges, I encourage you to find someone with whom you can share the fruit of what you learn and experience as a result. You may be able to share with a spouse, child, or close friend some of the insights you have into the Scriptures or about spiritual disciplines. Consider starting a Bible study in your home, using this book as the focal point. Perhaps you can talk to your pastor about organizing a Bible study group in your church. There is much to be learned on your own. There is much more to be learned as you become part of a small group that desires to grow in the Lord. Be an encouragement to others in their spiritual growth.

Keep the Bible Central

One tendency of a group devoted to the study of spiritual discipline is for the group to become a sharing-techniques group rather than a true Bible study group. Keep the Bible at the center of all you do. Gather around God’s Word as if you are gathering around a banquet for a spiritually nutritious meal.

Prayer

As you begin your Bible study, ask God to give you spiritual eyes to see what He wants you to see in the Scriptures and spiritual ears to hear what He wants you to hear from others in your group. Ask Him to give you new insights, to recall to your memory experiences that relate to what you read, and to help you identify clearly your emotional responses to His Word. Ask Him to reveal to you what He desires for you to be, say, and do. Look for the “next steps” He challenges you to take in your spiritual walk.

As you conclude your study time, ask the Lord to seal what you have learned in your heart so you will never forget it. Ask Him to transform you more into the likeness of Jesus Christ as you meditate on what you have studied. And above all, ask Him to give you the courage to become, say, and do what He has challenged you to become, say, and do.

As we discussed in the introduction, open yourself up as you pray—individually and as a group—to ways in which you might become stronger spiritually. Be keenly aware that God desires for you to grow. Listen closely to the ways in which the Holy Spirit directs your life each day. God desires to speak to your heart during and after your study time about how to experience more of His presence moment by moment, hour by hour, day by day.

Consider these questions:

• What new insights into spiritual discipline do you hope to gain from this study?

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• In what areas have you struggled to remain consistently strong in your faith walk?

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• How do you feel about spiritual discipline?

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• In what ways are you feeling challenged to grow stronger spiritually and to become more mature in Christ Jesus?

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LESSON 2

OBEDIENCE

TO GOD’S COMMANDMENTS

Obedience is not a popular word in today’s culture. To the world at large, a person will be much more readily accepted if he or she is tolerant, compromising, lenient, or “relational”— seeing all things as relevant and doing one’s best to keep everybody happy and satisfied.

God’s Word, however, calls us to obedience and specifically, to be obedient to all of God’s laws, statutes, and commandments. There can be no spiritual growth—no genuine spiritual power or effective ministry to the lost—without obedience. A rebellious heart is contrary to spiritual strength.

Rebellion is the foremost reason for a lack of spiritual authority, a lack of intimacy with God, and a lack of genuine blessings and rewards from God’s hand.

When many of us think of rebels we think of juvenile delinquents, criminals, or those who are opposed to the “establishment” or the current political order. The Bible defines rebellion in a much different way—it refers to any person who seeks to enact his own set of standards or to “do his own thing” contrary to the commandments of God. Those who willfully choose their way over God’s way are rebels.

• In what ways have you struggled with rebellion—choosing your way over God’s way—in the past?

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What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

God sets the solitary in families;

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He brings out those who are

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bound into prosperity;

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But the rebellious dwell in a dry

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land. (Ps. 68:6)

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“Woe to the rebellious hildren,”

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says the LORD,

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“Who take counsel, but not of Me,

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And who devise plans, but not of

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My Spirit,

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That they may add sin to sin.”

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(Isa. 30:1)

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For rebellion is as the sin of

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witchcraft,

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And stubbornness is as iniquity

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and idolatry. (1 Sam. 15:23)

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Thus says the LORD God of Israel:

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“Cursed is the man who does not

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obey the words of this covenant

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which I commanded your fathers

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in the day I brought them out of

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the land of Egypt, from the iron

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furnace, saying, ‘Obey My voice,

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and do according to all that I

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command you; so shall you be

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My people, and I will be your

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God,’ that I may establish the

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oath which I have sworn to your

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fathers, to give them ‘a land flowing

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with milk and honey,’ as it is

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this day.” (Jer. 11:3–5)

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• How do you feel as you read these verses?

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• In what ways are you feeling challenged in your spirit?

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As much as the Lord stands against rebellion, He supports and upholds those who are obedient. Obedience to God’s commandments is highly praised by God in the Bible. It is “better than sacrifice” in His eyes!

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

“If you are willing and obedient,

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You shall eat the good of the land;

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But if you refuse and rebel,

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You shall be devoured by the

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sword”;

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For the mouth of the LORD has

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spoken. (Isa. 1:19–20)

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When you are in distress, and all

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these things come upon you in

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the latter days, when you turn to

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the LORD your God and obey His

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voice (for the LORD your God is a

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merciful God), He will not for-

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sake you nor destroy you, nor for-

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get the covenant of your fathers

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which He swore to them. (Deut.

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4:30–31)

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Has the LORD as great delight in

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burnt offerings and sacrifices,

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As in obeying the voice of the

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LORD?

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Behold, to obey is better than

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sacrifice,

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And to heed than the fat of rams.

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(1 Sam. 15:22)

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Thus says the LORD of hosts, the

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God of Israel . . . “This is what I

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commanded them, saying, ‘Obey

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My voice, and I will be your God,

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and you shall be My people. And

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walk in all the ways that I have

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commanded you, that it may be

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well with you.’” (Jer. 7:21–23)

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• How do you feel after reading these verses?

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The Heart of Our Relationship with God

At the very heart of our relationship with God lies obedience to God’s commandments—an adherence to doing things God’s way and a submission to seeking God’s plan for our lives.

Even our salvation is an expression of obedience. We are not in a position to devise our own means of salvation or to choose the method, timetable, or related circumstances for our salvation. We must accept God’s plan for our salvation and obey what it is that God requires of us to receive His forgiveness of sins and eternal life. We must believe in Jesus Christ as the one lasting and complete sacrifice for our sin, receive His Holy Spirit into our lives, and willingly choose to follow Him in obedience as our Lord. As the writer to the Hebrews said,

Though He [Jesus] was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.

(Heb. 5:8–9)

None of us are in a position to require God to do things our way or to save us or forgive us according to any plan we might present to Him. All of us, rather, are required by God to do things His way, and to willingly submit ourselves to His plan for forgiveness and salvation.

When I was young, my grandfather said to me something I have never forgotten: “Charles, if God tells you to run at a brick wall, then you run at that brick wall with all your strength, trusting Him to open the way for you.” There simply is no substitute for obedience if we desire to see the full manifestation of God’s trustworthiness, presence, and power in our lives. Obedience is the key to our having a truly inti- mate relationship with God. And having such a relationship with God is what spiritual discipline is all about! The very goal of all spiritual disciplines is to know God more intimately and to experience more of Him at work in us and through us.

• Do you know anyone who has tried to engineer his or her salvation apart from the shed blood of Jesus Christ? What were the results?

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The Hindrance of Sin

Sin—which might be considered another word for acts of willful disobedience—always has negative consequences. Ultimately, a state of sinfulness brings about a person’s spiritual death (Rom. 6:23). But even in the life of the believer who has truly turned to the Lord and received His forgiveness, sin exists and has consequences. It is a tremendous hindrance to the work that the Lord desires to do.

The writer to the Hebrews said,

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. (12:1)

Sin is a weight and a snare. It slows us down, trips us up, and at times delays or detours us from fulfilling God’s purposes and plans. Part of our obedience to the Lord is to ask the Lord to forgive us daily for those things we have thought, said, or done that are contrary to His commandments. That is the only way we can avoid chastening from the Lord. It is the only way we can experience the fullness of God’s blessings.

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

For though we walk in the flesh,

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we do not war according to the

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flesh. For the weapons of our

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warfare are not carnal but mighty

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in God for pulling down strong-

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holds, casting down arguments

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and every high thing that exalts

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itself against the knowledge of

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God, bringing every thought into

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captivity to the obedience of

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Christ, and being ready to punish

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all disobedience when your obe-

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dience is fulfilled. (2 Cor.

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10:3–6)

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A Passion to Obey

There are several benchmarks by which we can evaluate if we are obeying God and developing spiritual discipline:

1. Obedience As Our Bottom Line

Obedience to God must become the bottom line of every decision we make. The obedient person sifts every decision through the will of God, asking, “Can I do this and be obedient to God and His commandments and plan for my life?” Even in those situations in which we feel inadequate and find ourselves struggling with fear, suffering, loss, or painful consequences, our desire must be to obey God’s will.

• Recall an experience in which you weighed a decision by sifting it through “the will of God.”

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2. Instant Obedience

When the Holy Spirit speaks to an obedient person’s heart, that person doesn’t even stop to consider whether he will act. He responds instantly.

• Have you had an experience in which the Holy Spirit prompted you to act in a specific way? Did you obey or disregard the prompting of the Holy Spirit? What were the consequences?

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3. A Yearning for the Heart and Mind of God

The obedient Christian desires to learn more and more about how God works and what God desires. He has a deep yearning to seek the mind of God and to know God better. We certainly will never learn all there is to know about God—we will never know Him with total intimacy. But our desire must be to know Him better and better. For us to grow spiritually, we must ask continually, “What is it that God truly desires for my life? How does God want me to act? What does He want me to say?”

Our role is not to take our plans to God and ask Him to bless them. No! Our role is to ask God what He desires for us to do in, through, and with our lives—our time, our talents, and our material substance—and then do His bidding.

• In what ways are you feeling challenged in your spirit?

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4. God’s Opinion Is All That Matters

To the truly obedient Christian the opinions of others are never more important than the opinion of God. The obedient person has no concern about whether others may reject or ridicule him—the only acceptance that truly counts is God’s acceptance. The obedient person may seek out the counsel of godly people, but he does not act on human consensus. He does what God requires even if all counsel is against God’s command.

• How do you feel when others criticize your obedience to God?

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_____________________________________

5.Willing to Accept Consequences of Obedience

The obedient person is willing to accept adverse consequences of his obedience. He is willing to suffer for Christ’s sake—not eager to suffer, but joyful in the midst of suffering. As Jesus taught, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:10).

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

For if we live, we live to the Lord;

______________________

and if we die, we die to the Lord.

______________________

Therefore, whether we live or die,

______________________

we are the Lord’s. (Rom. 14:8)

______________________

Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down;

______________________

and it shall be, if He calls you, that

______________________

you must say, ‘Speak, LORD, for

______________________

Your servant hears.’” (1 Sam. 3:9)

______________________

He said, “I am Jesus, whom you

______________________

are persecuting. But rise and

______________________

stand on your feet; for I have

______________________

appeared to you for this pur-

______________________

pose, to make you a minister

______________________

and a witness both of the things

______________________

which you have seen and of the

______________________

things which I will yet reveal to

______________________

you” . . . Therefore, King

______________________

Agrippa, I was not disobedient to

______________________

the heavenly vision, but declared

______________________

first to those in Damascus and in

______________________

Jerusalem, and throughout all the

______________________

region of Judea, and then to the

______________________

Gentiles, that they should repent,

______________________

turn to God, and do works befit-

______________________

ting repentance. (Acts 26:15–16,

______________________

19–20)

______________________

The Rewards of Obedience

There are a number of consequences to our being obedient to God’s Word. Not all of them are positive. Every person who lives in obedience to the Lord will suffer to a certain degree because he is going against the grain of the world. The positive rewards from God, however, far outweigh anything the world might do to the believer:

• A growing faith. The obedient person is one who sees God’s faithfulness in action and grows in faith as a result.

• Blessings. God bestows His blessings upon those who are obedient, not only spiritual blessings but financial, material, and relational blessings.

• An enlarged view of God . The person who is obedient moves into a more intimate relationship with God. The closer we come to God, the more we experience His love and the more we are able to see His omnipotence and omniscience (His infinite and absolute power and wisdom). Those who are obedient grow in reverence for God, and at the same time, have an increased sense of security in God’s deep and abiding love.

• A greater effectiveness in witnessing. Those who view a person’s obedience—family members, friends, coworkers, fellow church members, lost souls—will be impacted by an obedient person’s steadfast faithfulness to God’s commands. They can’t help but be influenced in a positive way toward the gospel, regardless of what they may claim.

• Greater ability to discern the Holy Spirit at work in our lives. Those who are obedient hear the Holy Spirit with greater clarity and have greater recognition of His voice. They are more readily able to discern with accuracy what the Holy Spirit directs them to do, and when and how to act.

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

Whether it is pleasing or displeas-

______________________

ing, we will obey the voice of the

______________________

LORD our God to whom we send

______________________

you, that it may be well with us

______________________

when we obey the voice of the

______________________

LORD our God. (Jer. 42:6)

______________________

To those who are self-seeking and

______________________

do not obey the truth, but obey

______________________

unrighteousness-indignation and

______________________

wrath, tribulation and anguish, on

______________________

every soul of man who does evil, of

______________________

the Jew first and also of the Greek;

______________________

but glory, honor, and peace to

______________________

everyone who works what is good.

______________________

(Rom. 2:8–10)

______________________

Obedience is truly the “bottom line” for all spiritual discipline. Everything else we do that builds spiritual discipline is established on a foundation of obedience—we pray, for example, in obedience to God’s command to pray. We read God’s Scriptures because we desire to know God’s statutes and obey them, and also because we are commanded to study the Word. Our quest to know the Lord is rooted in obedience at all times.

Now, to “obey” is not the ultimate motivation for spiritual discipline—a love for God, a longing to know God, our faith in God are the true motives for the mature believer. But obedience is required if we are to grow spiritually and experience more and more of God’s love.

Do you truly desire to be obedient to the Lord’s commandments? Do you truly want to put aside every sign and weight that can keep you from experiencing spiritual power and strength? Do you truly long to move into greater intimacy with your heavenly Father?

• What new insights do you have into the relationship between obedience and spiritual growth?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

• In what ways are you feeling challenged in your spirit today?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

LESSON 3

CONFORMATION

TO CHRIST

Do you have a spiritual goal today?

Without a goal, we rarely achieve all that we can achieve, or desire to achieve. That is true in the spiritual realm just as much as it is true in the worlds of business and personal finance, family life, education, or physical fitness.

The goal for every Christian is clearly stated by the apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans:

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

(Rom. 8:28–30)

• What new insights do you have into this passage from Romans?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

The Conformation Process

I want to call your attention specifically to three key truths in this passage from Romans 8:28–30.These are truths that are important for you as you practice basic spiritual disciplines and seek to grow in Christ.

1. Destined to Be Conformed

From the beginning, God has chosen you to be His beloved child and to be conformed to the image of Christ. “To be conformed” implies that, at present, a person is not conformed to Christ’s image, and we certainly know that to be true for each one of us. None of us have lived a sinless life . . . not one of us is without fault . . . all of us have had imperfect backgrounds and imperfect childhoods and experiences that have left us wounded and scarred . . . all of us need healing in some area of life to be whole. No matter how mature we are in our walk with the Lord, there is more that can and must be changed in us for us to be fully like Christ Jesus—spiritually, emotionally, and psychologically. Only the Lord can say, “I change not” because only the Lord can say, “I do not need change.” Every one of us is in a position to look in the mirror and say as a prayer to the Lord, “Change me in the ways You know I need to be changed.”

• How do you feel about your destiny as a Christian to be conformed to Christ’s image?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

• How do you feel about the need for change in your life?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall

______________________

be clean;

______________________

Wash me, and I shall be whiter

______________________

than snow . . .

______________________

Hide Your face from my sins,

______________________

And blot out all my iniquities.

______________________

Create in me a clean heart, O

______________________

God,

______________________

And renew a steadfast spirit

______________________

within me . . .

______________________

Restore to me the joy of Your sal-

______________________

vation,

______________________

And uphold me by Your generous

______________________

Spirit.

______________________

Then I will teach transgressors

______________________

Your ways,

______________________

And sinners shall be converted to

______________________

You. (Ps. 51:7, 9–10, 12–13)

______________________

Put away the evil of your doings

______________________

from before My eyes.

______________________

Cease to do evil,

______________________

Learn to do good;

______________________

Seek justice,

______________________

Rebuke the oppressor. (Isa.

______________________

1:16–17)

______________________

• In what ways are you feeling challenged in your spirit?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

2. Conformed to Christ’s Image

To be conformed to “Christ’s image” means that a person is an accurate and total reflection of Christ. In other words, when others look at us, they cannot tell from what we say and do that we are acting in any way contrary to what Jesus would have said and done if He were walking this earth in fleshly form today. A person who is completely conformed to Christ’s image would think, speak, and act in any given situation exactly as Christ would think, speak, and act.

Again, we know this is not true for any person. We all have sinned and continue to sin, even though we have no desire to sin. We are imperfect, finite, fleshly creatures.

Nevertheless, we are called by God—challenged by God, compelled by God—to grow in our likeness of Christ until that day when God fully perfects us and we are in the image of Christ Jesus.

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

But we all, with unveiled face,

______________________

beholding as in a mirror the glory

______________________

of the Lord, are being trans-

______________________

formed into the same image from

______________________

glory to glory, just as by the Spirit

______________________

of the Lord. (2 Cor. 3:18)

______________________

Do not lie to one another, since

______________________

you have put off the old man with

______________________

his deeds, and have put on the

______________________

new man who is renewed in

______________________

knowledge according to the

______________________

image of Him who created him,

______________________

where there is neither Greek nor

______________________

Jew . . . but Christ is all and in all.

______________________

(Col. 3:9–11)

______________________

• How do you feel about being conformed fully to the point where you reflect Christ’s own nature?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

3. God’s Work, Not Ours

Paul never told the Romans that they were to strive to be perfect or strive to be conformed to Christ. He said that this would be the work of the Holy Spirit in them. Look again at Romans 8:28–30 on the first page of this chapter and circle each He that you find in that passage. It is God who does the foreknowing, the predestining, the conforming, the calling, the justifying, and the glorifying. What tremendous relief this should give to those who are struggling today to “get good” so they can “get God.” The conforming work in us is not something for which we are totally responsible. We are to do what we know to do—live by faith and obey by our will—and then trust God to do a transforming work in us.

What the Word Says

______________________

For by grace you have been saved

______________________

through faith, and that not of

______________________

yourselves; it is the gift of God,

______________________

not of works, lest anyone should

______________________

boast. For we are His workmanship,

______________________

created in Christ Jesus for

______________________

good works, which God prepared

______________________

beforehand that we should walk

______________________

in them. (Eph. 2:8–10)

______________________

For we ourselves were also once

______________________

foolish, disobedient, deceived,

______________________

serving various lusts and pleasures,

______________________

living in malice and envy,

______________________

hateful and hating one another.

______________________

But when the kindness and the

______________________

love of God our Savior toward

______________________

man appeared, not by works of

______________________

righteousness which we have

______________________

done, but according to His mercy

______________________

He saved us, through the washing

______________________

of regeneration and renewing of

______________________

the Holy Spirit, whom He poured

______________________

out on us abundantly through

______________________

Jesus Christ our Savior, that having

______________________

been justified by His grace we

______________________

should become heirs according to

______________________

the hope of eternal life. (Titus

______________________

3:3–7)

______________________

Wash me thoroughly from my

______________________

iniquity,

______________________

And cleanse me from my sin. (Ps.

______________________

51:2)

______________________

• How do you feel about the conforming work in our lives being the work of the Lord, and not something we must strive to do in our own strength?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

Our Ultimate Purpose in Life

A Christian should never have a doubt about what he or she is to do in this life—what goals he should set or what pursuits she should follow. Our ultimate goal and purpose in life are to do those things that conform us to Christ’s image. Nothing else that we do will have the same eternal reward as the pursuit of Christ.

Developing the Mind of Christ

Most of us have seen the bracelets and bumper stickers that say “WWJD”—What Would Jesus Do. While that is a wonderful message, it is far from complete. We are not only to do what Jesus would do, but we are to say what He would say and think and believe what He thinks and believes.

In writing to the Romans, the apostle Paul very specifically taught not only whom we are to be conformed to, but also what we are not to be conformed to:

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Rom. 12:2)

To have the mind of Christ is to

• Have a desire to serve others.The person who thinks as Jesus thinks has an automatic impulse to help others in need. He doesn’t even stop to think about whether he should help a person who is in trouble, sorrow, or sickness. He moves immediately to that person’s side to offer whatever assistance he can give, both practical and spiritual.

• Have a perfect understanding of right and wrong. The person who thinks like Jesus is a person who has righteous and pure thoughts. He knows God’s absolutes and God’s desires for good. He doesn’t have to contemplate whether an activity, event, behavior, statement, or thought is “right”—he knows immediately whether something lines up with God’s commandments and God’s nature. He has the ability to discern a lie from the truth, and to know whether a thought is a temptation from the enemy or a directive from the Holy Spirit.

• Clearly discern spiritual matters. Because the person who thinks like Jesus is strongly rooted in obedience to God’s commandments and knows the nature of God, he is able to discern clearly between false and true doctrines. He is able to judge the biblical authenticity of spiritual manifestations. He knows how to judge the spirits and to determine if something truly is from God.

• Make wise decisions and choices. The person who thinks like Jesus knows how to make godly decisions, including how to choose friends and coworkers.

• In your life, can you look back and see how you have developed the mind of Christ since you were born again? Cite specific ways in which you did not formerly “think” or “speak” or “act” like Jesus . . . but now do.

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

Let this mind be in you which

______________________

was also in Christ Jesus, who,

______________________

being in the form of God, did not

______________________

consider it robbery to be equal

______________________

with God, but made Himself of

______________________

no reputation, taking the form of

______________________

a bondservant. (Phil. 2:5–7)

______________________

Put off, concerning your former

______________________

conduct, the old man which grows

______________________

corrupt according to the deceitful

______________________

lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of

______________________

your mind . . . that you put on the

______________________

new man which was created according

______________________

to God, in true righteousness

______________________

and holiness. (Eph. 4:22–24)

______________________

Gird up the loins of your mind,

______________________

be sober, and rest your hope fully

______________________

upon the grace that is to be

______________________

brought to you at the revelation

______________________

of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 1:13)

______________________

There is a God in heaven who

______________________

reveals secrets. (Dan. 2:28)

______________________

If any of you lacks wisdom, let

______________________

him ask of God, who gives to all

______________________

liberally and without reproach,

______________________

and it will be given to him. But let

______________________

him ask in faith, with no doubting.

______________________

(James 1:5–6)

______________________

We do not have the mind of Christ instantly upon our conversion to Christ. Just as a newborn baby grows in his ability to understand the world, so the newborn Christian must grow in his understanding of God’s nature, God’s commandments, and the fullness of God’s Word.

Furthermore, the will of a person is always involved. You must want to develop the mind of Christ. You must seek to know God’s Word so that you can find God’s answers, direction, and solutions. You must ask God to impart to you His wisdom.

Conformation Through Suffering

There is another aspect to our being conformed to Christ that many Christians do not like to face: suffering. The Christian life is not immune to suffering—in fact, in many ways the call of Christ is a call to suffer. It is a call to identify with those who are hurting, which always requires a sacrifice of self and a laying aside of one’s pride. The call of Christ is also a call to be willing to experience the persecution of the world and to suffer rejection. We identify with Christ in our sufferings, for He, too, suffered and aligned Himself with those who suffered.

For most Christians, the most fertile time of spiritual growth in their lives comes during a time of suffering—of crisis, struggle, illness, persecution, loss, pain, rejection. Suffering is the means God often uses to perfect us and to create in us the true character of the Holy Spirit. I challenge you not to shy away from difficult challenges or troublesome people . . . but rather, to see them as opportunities to minister the love of Christ.

• How do you feel about suffering being an integral part of your conformation to Christ?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

Blessed be the God and Father of

______________________

our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father

______________________

of mercies and God of all comfort,

______________________

who comforts us in all our

______________________

tribulation, that we may be able

______________________

to comfort those who are in any

______________________

trouble, with the comfort with

______________________

which we ourselves are comforted

______________________

by God. For as the sufferings of

______________________

Christ abound in us, so our consolation

______________________

also abounds through

______________________

Christ. (2 Cor. 1:3–4)

______________________

Therefore, since Christ suffered

______________________

for us in the flesh, arm yourselves

______________________

also with the same mind, for he

______________________

who has suffered in the flesh has

______________________

ceased from sin, that he no longer

______________________

should live the rest of his time in

______________________

the flesh for the lusts of men, but

______________________

for the will of God. (1 Peter 4:1–2)

______________________

• What new insights do you have into the goal of spiritual discipline being a conformation to Christ?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

• In what ways are you feeling challenged in your spirit?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

LESSON 4

A PERSONAL STUDY OF THE SCRIPTURES

For a person truly to develop the mind of Christ, to move into obedience to God’s commandments, and to become more conformed to Christ, a person must know God’s Word. The person who seeks to experience more of the presence and power of God must discipline himself to read and study God’s Word for himself. There is no substitute for it!

Your study of God’s Word must be

• Personal. I meet people all the time who admit to me that they take their Bible to church and they read along as the pastor reads a passage of Scripture or preaches on it, and then they let their Bible gather dust the rest of the week. Some say, “I listen to teaching tapes about the Bible.” Others tell me they read books that are religious or that are about what God says in the Bible. While these are all good things to do, none of them are a substitute for personal reading and study of God’s Word.

Why? Because to know God’s Word is not only to know the content of God’s Word—the stories, the commandments, the teachings. It is to know how to apply God’s Word to daily life. We each have different jobs, roles, family affiliations, cultural settings, communities, and churches. We have different needs—physical, financial, relational, emotional, and spiritual. We are at different levels of spiritual maturity. We must read and study the Bible for ourselves to allow the Bible to speak to our unique, individual circumstances, situations, and relationships.

The primary way God is going to speak to you is through His Word. Certainly God can and does speak to people through other means, but His primary way of speaking to men and women today is through His Word. As you read His Word, ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to understanding and impart to you the specific knowledge that you need directly from God.

• Can you recall an instance in which the Lord spoke something very specifically to you from His Word?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

• Daily. For you continually to grow in the Lord and to remain strong in the Lord, you must read God’s Word daily. Why read the Bible daily? Because our lives are lived daily. A part of the Lord’s Prayer is, “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matt. 6:11). “Bread” refers not only to physical bread, but also to the spiritual bread we need to feed our souls.

No person eats only once a week; we all eat daily, usually several times a day. What is true for the physical is also true for the spiritual. We need to read the Bible daily to give our minds and hearts the spiritual nutrition they need to face life’s daily demands.

Just as we wash our bodies daily, so we must wash our minds daily in God’s Word. The Word of God has a cleansing action on us. It convicts us of our daily sins—both things we have done and things we should have done—so that we might confess our sins daily and live in a constant state of repentance.

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

Christ also loved the church and

______________________

gave Himself for her, that He

______________________

might sanctify and cleanse her

______________________

with the washing of water by the

______________________

word, that He might present her

______________________

to Himself a glorious church, not

______________________

having spot or wrinkle or any

______________________

such thing, but that she should be

______________________

holy and without blemish. (Eph.

______________________

5:25–27)

______________________

Blessed are the undefiled in the

______________________

way,

______________________

Who walk in the law of the LORD!

______________________

Blessed are those who keep His

______________________

testimonies,

______________________

Who seek Him with the whole

______________________

heart!

______________________

They also do no iniquity;

______________________

They walk in His ways.

______________________

You have commanded us

______________________

To keep Your precepts diligently.

______________________

Oh, that my ways were directed

______________________

To keep Your statutes!

______________________

Then I would not be ashamed,

______________________

When I look into all Your

______________________

commandments. (Ps. 119:1–6)

______________________

• Understandable. Read a Bible version that you understand. There is no benefit to you in reading a version that seems like a foreign language to you. And then, as you read your Bible every day, read it until you gain meaning and understanding. Don’t let your mind wander to other things; concentrate on what you are reading. Don’t just read the words at the surface. Look for the deeper meaning in the passage. Ask yourself continually, “How does this apply to what I am facing right now? What is God really saying to me? What is the deeper meaning of this verse? Why is this passage important for me not only to read, but also to remember?”

As you read your Bible daily, look for connections between what you are reading and what you have read previously. Look at the broader context of a passage—most passages of Scripture are directly connected to those passages immediately preceding it and immediately following it. Also look for the ways in which a passage might be linked to other passages on the same general theme, both in the Old Testament and New Testament. Look for links between what Jesus said and what Paul taught, John taught, or Peter taught. Look for ways in which Jesus fulfills the teachings of the Old Testament. Look for symbols and key words that are repeated again and again, from cover to cover. The more you make connections between what you read in one place in the Bible with other references, the more you will grow in your understanding of the whole of God’s Word.

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

Whom will he teach knowledge?

______________________

And whom will he make to

______________________

understand the message? . . .

______________________

For precept must be upon precept,

______________________

precept upon precept,

______________________

Line upon line, line upon line,

______________________

Here a little, there a little. (Isa.

______________________

28:9–10)

______________________

Through Your precepts I get

______________________

understanding;

______________________

Therefore I hate every false way.

______________________

Your word is a lamp to my feet

______________________

And a light to my path. (Ps.

______________________

119:104–5)

______________________

• Prayerful. As you read the Bible, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal Christ to you. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how He desires for you to live. Ask Him to reveal to you specific guidance for the decisions you are currently facing. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how to apply what you read to your life.

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

I will meditate on Your precepts,

______________________

And contemplate Your ways.

______________________

I will delight myself in Your

______________________

statutes;

______________________

I will not forget Your word.

______________________

Deal bountifully with Your servant,

______________________

That I may live and keep Your

______________________

word.

______________________

Open my eyes, that I may see

______________________

Wondrous things from Your law.

______________________

(Ps. 119:15–18)

______________________

You are good, and do good;

______________________

Teach me Your statutes. (Ps.

______________________

119:68)

______________________

The Benefits of Reading the Bible

The more you read your Bible, the greater your understanding will be about God’s commandments and God’s goals for your life. You will see more clearly how the Lord desires for you to live. Very specifically, you are going to gain a new or deeper understanding about the call of God on your life in these four areas:

1. A Godly Life

We each are called to live godly lives—holy, pure, and righteous. Again and again, we find stories in the Bible that might be described as “before” and “after” spiritual makeovers. Again and again, we find God’s directives to “put off” our old nature and “put on” the character of Christ Jesus. The more you read your Bible, the more you are going to come face-to-face with practical changes that God desires for you to make in the way you think, speak, and act.

Consider this very applicable passage from Ephesians:

Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers . . . Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. (Eph. 4:25–29, 31–32)

In just a few verses, the apostle Paul gave several specific instructions about what it means to live a godly life. There can be little room for misinterpretation of these verses! God’s Word continually challenges us to live exemplary, sinless lives. Not only does the Lord desire for us to live genuinely good, righteous lives—but He also makes it possible for us to live such lives by the power of His Holy Spirit.

• In what ways are you feeling challenged in your spirit by the Word of God after reading the above verses from Ephesians 4?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

Your word I have hidden in my

______________________

heart,

______________________

That I might not sin against You.

______________________

(Ps. 119:11)

______________________

Therefore do not be unwise, but

______________________

understand what the will of the

______________________

Lord is. (Eph. 5:17)

______________________

2. Eternal Purpose

We each are called to invest our lives in those things that have eternal purpose. From cover to cover, the Bible speaks of God’s everlasting nature, His desire for us to be with Him for all eternity, and His eternal purposes. The more you read your Bible, the more you will gain an eternal perspective and grow in your understanding that only those things that are linked to Christ Jesus truly last.

You will also gain an understanding that there is no such thing as a “secular job.” All jobs exist so that Christ might be manifested in them and through them. All circumstances and situations exist so that God’s love, His healing, and His forgiveness might be made known. No part of your life is apart from Christ—rather, Christ desires to touch every aspect of your life with His eternal presence and power. And because of this, your life has tremendous meaning. The greatest satisfaction in life comes in knowing that Christ is in you, and that He is accomplishing His eternal purposes not only in you, but through you.

• How do you feel about the fact that ALL aspects of your life can have meaning in the context of Christ’s eternal purposes?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

Your testimonies I have taken as a

______________________

heritage forever,

______________________

For they are the rejoicing of my

______________________

heart.

______________________

I have inclined my heart to perform

______________________

Your statutes

______________________

Forever, to the very end. (Ps.

______________________

119:111–112)

______________________

3. A Role in God’s Plan

We each are called to a specific role as part of God’s greater purpose for all mankind. The more you read your Bible, the more you are going to gain a vision for God’s greater purposes and plans for mankind. You are going to see yourself in the context of God’s greater will. No longer is the big “I” at the center of the universe—rather, Christ is central. You will gain an understanding that God does not exist for you, but rather, you exist for God. God doesn’t exist to be molded into your purpose, but rather, you were created to be part of His purpose. God’s purpose for your life is that you might bring glory to Christ Jesus and that, by your witness, the world may come to know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

Jesus challenged His disciples, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:19–20).

To “make disciples” is defined by Jesus as both “baptizing” and “teaching.” To make disciples, we must be both prepared and willing to teach others everything that we learn from God’s Word, not necessarily in a formal way, but teaching the truth of God informally in our daily conversations and by being a witness for Christ every time we have an opportunity to share the gospel.

• What new insights do you have into Matthew 28:19–20?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

4. Victory over Satan

We each are called to have victory over the enemy of our souls. The more we read the Bible, the more we learn how to have victory over sin and over the enemy of our souls. We have greater strength to withstand the devil’s temptations.

When Jesus was tempted by the devil, He did not respond with human wisdom, but rather, by quoting the Word of God. Read again the account of Jesus’ temptations and note how He replied to each of them:

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” [see Deut. 8:3]

Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down” . . .

Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’” [see Deut. 6:16]

Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”

Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’” [see Deut. 6:13]

Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him. (Matt. 4:1–11)

To be able to say boldly to the devil, “It is written,” a person must first know what is written!

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

You, through Your commandments,

______________________

make me wiser than my

______________________

enemies. (Ps. 119:98)

______________________

I have restrained my feet from

______________________

every evil way,

______________________

That I may keep Your word. (Ps.

______________________

119:101)

______________________

Deliver me according to Your

______________________

word. (Ps. 119:170)

______________________

Take the helmet of salvation, and

______________________

the sword of the Spirit, which is

______________________

the word of God. (Eph. 6:17)

______________________

Bible Study Yields Specific Direction

How do daily Bible reading and Bible study differ? Bible study is an intense search of God’s Word to learn more about what God has to say on a particular subject. Very often, Bible study is aimed at finding specific answers to specific needs, concerns, questions, or problems.

A person may have questions about why God acts in particular ways. A person may question why God fails to act in a particular situation in the way that we desire or think He should act. A person may have questions about what God wants him to do—which decision or choice he should make, or which path he should follow. These questions should motivate a person to go to his Bible to study what God says on the matter. An honest question is always an excellent beginning point for Bible study!

The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy,

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Tim. 2:15)

To “rightly divide” the word of truth means to see the whole of God’s truth and to separate from the truth anything that might be a lie. It is a sifting process—taking out anything that might pollute or detract from the truth.

Bible study helps us to refine our understanding of God’s Word. In the refinement of metals such as silver and gold, the metal is heated to an extremely high temperature and is brought to a liquid state. The lighter impurities in the metal float to the top of the liquid and are skimmed off. The heavier and more valuable metal remains at the bottom. That is what happens when we engage in a diligent study of God’s Word on a particular matter. We come to an understanding that is clearer, purer, more concentrated. We truly know what God has to say on a matter.

• Have you ever engaged in a study of God’s Word that led to a refining of your understanding of God’s truth on a particular matter?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

Teach me, O LORD, the way of

______________________

Your statutes,

______________________

And I shall keep it to the end.

______________________

Give me understanding, and I

______________________

shall keep Your law;

______________________

Indeed, I shall observe it with my

______________________

whole heart.

______________________

Make me walk in the path of Your

______________________

commandments,

______________________

For I delight in it.

______________________

Incline my heart to Your

______________________

testimonies,

______________________

And not to covetousness.

______________________

Turn away my eyes from looking

______________________

at worthless things,

______________________

And revive me in Your way. (Ps.

______________________

119:33–37)

______________________

• What new insights do you have into the relationship between personal Bible study and greater spiritual strength?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

• In what ways are you feeling challenged in your spirit?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

LESSON 5

GETTING TO

KNOW THE LORD

There is only one way to develop a deep friendship and that is to spend time with a person, sharing mutual experiences, each of you communicating as fully as possible your ideas, desires, dreams, hopes, and beliefs. Spending time together, sharing experiences, and talking things over . . . these are the basic ingredients for developing a relationship, not only with another human being, but with God.

Are you aware that we are commanded to pray? Jesus said to His disciples, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matt. 26:41). Prayer is not just a good idea, it’s God’s command. It is a requirement if we are to become and remain strong in the Lord and develop an intimate relationship with Him.

Seven Aspects of

an Effective Prayer Life

There are at least seven specific aspects of prayer that we should consider as we seek to become spiritually disciplined and to grow spiritually.

1. Continual Prayer

We are called to pray continually. Many Christians pray only in church. Some say a “grace” prayer at mealtimes. Others say bedtime prayers with their children. All of these are appropriate times to pray, but the command to Christians from God’s Word is to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17).

How can we pray at all times, without ceasing? By living in an attitude of prayer. To pray is to “communicate with God,” which includes both talking to and listening to God. Prayer includes both praise and thanksgiving. To pray without ceasing is to talk to God about virtually everything, and to feel free to do so at any time and in any place. It is to discuss with God any problem or need that you face. It is to praise or thank God immediately when good things come your way. It is to converse with Him about decisions that you must make, circumstances that require your involvement, and issues that you must resolve. It is to be constantly on the alert to see what God desires for you to see, and to have spiritual ears “open” to hear what God desires for you to hear.

• In your life, how do you “pray without ceasing”?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

Through the centuries, God’s people developed a habit of praying “morning, noon, and night.” Prayer was not limited to these times, but rather, it was offered as a community at these times every day. I know of no better way to start a day and end a day than in prayer. The greatest way to frame a day is to frame it in prayer—seeking God’s guidance, health, protection, and wisdom for the coming day as you pray in the morning, and thanking God for His abundant provision to you as you prepare to sleep in the evening.

I believe God is pleased when you set aside specific times to pray. To do so is to make prayer an intentional part of your life; it is to develop the habit of prayer, which is one of the most beneficial habits you can ever develop. It is to say to God, to yourself, and to others, “I value my relationship with God, and I am setting aside a part of every day just to be with Him and to talk things over with Him.”

• In your life, how have you incorporated prayer into your daily schedule?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

My voice You shall hear in the

______________________

morning, O LORD;

______________________

In the morning I will direct it to You,

______________________

And I will look up. (Ps. 5:3)

______________________

[The Levites’] duty was to help

______________________

the sons of Aaron in the service of

______________________

the house of the LORD . . . to

______________________

stand every morning to thank and

______________________

praise the LORD, and likewise at

______________________

evening. (1 Chron. 23:28, 30)

______________________

Let my prayer be set before You as

______________________

incense,

______________________

The lifting up of my hands as the

______________________

evening sacrifice. (Ps. 141:2)

______________________

The effective, fervent prayer of a

______________________

righteous man avails much.

______________________

(James 5:16)

______________________

2. Petitioning for Our Needs

We are to pray for God to meet our needs, including our need for forgiveness. It is not self-centered for you to pray for yourself, your family, or your loved ones. God wants you to pray for your own needs! The nature of the need may be physical, material, financial, relational, emotional, or spiritual—no need is too small or too great to take to God. A part of our prayer every day should be a prayer confessing our sins and asking God to forgive us, cleanse us, and to help us make the necessary changes in our lives so that we do not keep repeating sin.

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

Is anyone among you suffering?

______________________

Let him pray. ( James 5:13)

______________________

Confess your trespasses to one

______________________

another, and pray for one

______________________

another, that you may be healed.

______________________

(James 5:16)

______________________

[The LORD said,] “If My people

______________________

who are called by My name will

______________________

humble themselves, and pray and

______________________

seek My face, and turn from their

______________________

wicked ways, then I will hear

______________________

from heaven, and will forgive

______________________

their sin and heal their land.” (2

______________________

Chron. 7:14)

______________________

[Jesus taught,] “Give us this day

______________________

our daily bread.

______________________

And forgive us our debts,

______________________

As we forgive our debtors.

______________________

And do not lead us into temptation,

______________________

But deliver us from the evil one.”

______________________

(Matt. 6:11–13)

______________________

3. Praise and Thanksgiving

We are to accompany our petitions with praise and thanksgiving. When Paul urged the early church to pray without ceasing, he said this: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thess. 5:16–18).

First, rejoice. Give praise. Be grateful that you have a relationship with the Lord. Praise Him for His wonderful deeds. Praise Him for all that He is, and all that He has done, including the specific things He has done, is doing, and will do in your life.

Second, make your petitions. Tell God your concerns and needs.

And third, give thanks that God is already working on your behalf to cause all things to be for your eternal good (see Rom. 8:28). Our prayers take on a much different tone and character when we begin them with praise and end them with thanksgiving!

When Jesus gave His model prayer to His disciples, He began it with words of praise: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name” (Matt. 6:9).To “hallow” the Lord’s name is to declare it holy and worthy to be lifted higher than any other name. When we say, “Hallowed be Your name,” we are praising the name of the Lord, exalting Him to a position of absolute supremacy.

And then look at how the Lord ended His model prayer: “For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever” (Matt. 6:13). He ended the prayer with praise and thanksgiving. The overall model of the Lord’s Prayer is praise, petition, praise.

• What new insights do you have into the role of praise and thanksgiving in prayer?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

We give thanks to the God and

______________________

Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

______________________

praying always for you. (Col. 1:3)

______________________

Continue earnestly in prayer,

______________________

being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.

______________________

(Col. 4:2)

______________________

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

______________________

And into His courts with praise.

______________________

Be thankful to Him, and bless His

______________________

name.

______________________

For the LORD is good;

______________________

His mercy is everlasting,

______________________

And His truth endures to all generations.

______________________

(Ps. 100:4–5)

______________________

Be anxious for nothing, but in

______________________

everything by prayer and supplication,

______________________

with thanksgiving, let your

______________________

requests be made known to God.

______________________

(Phil. 4:6)

______________________

4. An Attitude of Forgiveness

We are to pray with an attitude of forgiveness toward others. The Bible makes it very clear that unless we forgive others, we cannot receive God’s forgiveness. Our unforgiving attitude acts as a barrier, keeping us from receiving the fullness of what God desires to give us. Jesus taught, “If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matt. 6:14–15).

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

[Jesus taught,] “Judge not, and

______________________

you shall not be judged. Condemn

______________________

not, and you shall not be condemned.

______________________

Forgive, and you will be

______________________

forgiven.” (Luke 6:37)

______________________

Pray for those who spitefully use

______________________

you and persecute you, that you

______________________

may be sons of your Father in

______________________

heaven. (Matt. 5:44–45)

______________________

5. Praying Without Doubt

We are to pray without doubting and without losing heart. James said this in his teaching that we are to ask God for wisdom: “Let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways” ( James 1:6–8). This is true not only in our prayers for wisdom, but in all our prayers.

Jesus taught, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt . . . also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive” (Matt. 21:21–22).

To pray without doubt and without losing heart is to pray with faith. At all times, our prayers must be steeped in faith if they are to be effective.

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

I desire therefore that the men

______________________

pray everywhere, lifting up holy

______________________

hands, without wrath and doubting.

______________________

(1 Tim. 2:8)

______________________

Then He spoke a parable to

______________________

them, that men always ought to

______________________

pray and not lose heart, saying:

______________________

“There was in a certain city a

______________________

judge who did not fear God nor

______________________

regard man. Now there was a

______________________

widow in that city; and she came

______________________

to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me

______________________

from my adversary.’ And he

______________________

would not for a while; but afterward

______________________

he said within himself,

______________________

‘Though I do not fear God nor

______________________

regard man, yet because this

______________________

widow troubles me I will avenge

______________________

her, lest by her continual coming

______________________

she weary me.’” Then the Lord

______________________

said, “Hear what the unjust judge

______________________

said. And shall God not avenge

______________________

His own elect who cry out day

______________________

and night to Him, though He

______________________

bears long with them? I tell you

______________________

that He will avenge them speedily.

______________________

Nevertheless, when the Son of

______________________

Man comes, will He really find

______________________

faith on the earth?” (Luke

______________________

18:1–8)

______________________

Take the helmet of salvation, and

______________________

the sword of the Spirit, which is

______________________

the word of God; praying always

______________________

with all prayer and supplication

______________________

in the Spirit, being watchful to

______________________

this end with all perseverance and

______________________

supplication for all the saints.

______________________

(Eph. 6:17–18)

______________________

6. Praying for Our Leaders

We are admonished in God’s Word to pray for those in leadership over us. Our prayers should be that those in authority will make decisions that allow us to live in peace and to freely share the gospel. Christians around the world are able to prosper spiritually under all kinds of governments, especially if the leader of the government allows religious freedom and freedom to share the gospel. Christians are able to work in any kind of environment, even slavery, and prosper spiritually, especially if the “boss” allows expressions of faith and opportunities for time off to worship with other believers.

A prayer for leaders should be a prayer that you and other Christians will be allowed to live in an “environment” that is conducive to godliness and reverence. The apostle Paul taught,

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Tim. 2:1–2)

• In your life, who are the leaders for whom you pray?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

7. Intercession for Others

We are to ask for the prayers of others and offer prayers for others in need. God desires that we be in a giving and receiving relationship with others, and that as the body of Christ, we mutually bear one another’s burdens. The disciples of Jesus were quick to ask for prayer, and to offer prayer for others in need.

After Peter and John had been detained by Jewish authorities for healing a man in the name of Jesus, and then had been released with threats never to speak again in His name, they went immediately to their companions and reported what had happened. The group responded with prayer: “They raised their voice to God with one accord” and prayed, “Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus” (Acts 4:24, 29–30). If Peter and John needed and benefited from the prayers of others, how much more so do each one of us need the prayers of fellow believers in Christ Jesus?

If you ever question what to pray for another Christian, let me suggest Paul’s prayer for the Colossians below. It covers many of the basics that we know with certainty are the will of God for every person.

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

For this reason we . . . do not

______________________

cease to pray for you, and to ask

______________________

that you may be filled with the

______________________

knowledge of His will in all wisdom

______________________

and spiritual understanding;

______________________

that you may walk worthy of the

______________________

Lord, fully pleasing Him, being

______________________

fruitful in every good work and

______________________

increasing in the knowledge of

______________________

God; strengthened with all might,

______________________

according to His glorious power,

______________________

for all patience and longsuffering

______________________

with joy; giving thanks to the

______________________

Father who has qualified us to be

______________________

partakers of the inheritance of the

______________________

saints in the light. (Col. 1:9–12)

______________________

What can the person who prays daily and regularly with faith, perseverance, praise, and thanksgiving—for himself, for those in leadership over him, and for fellow believers—expect?

Answers from God! He can expect God to move obstacles and change situations and bring forth blessings. He can expect to experience a deepening intimacy in his relationship with the Lord. He can expect to grow spiritually and to be strong in faith. God hears our prayers. He answers them for our eternal benefit. And He invites us to an ever-deepening relationship with Him.

• What new insights do you have into the relationship between prayer and spiritual growth?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

• In what ways are you feeling challenged in your spirit?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

LESSON 6

LOOKING FOR

CHRIST IN

ALL THINGS

In the last chapter, we briefly touched upon the fact that listening is an integral part of all communication, including our communication with God. Listening involves far more than simply waiting for God to reply to our prayers. It involves an active listening—an intent watching, waiting, anticipation—for God to speak to us “continually.” Listening is to be our attitude toward the Lord always. We are to expect the Lord to speak to us—our hearts and minds open to Him so that He might speak to us “by whatever means” at “whatever time.”To listen in this way is to be available to the Lord without hindrance.

Can we develop or train such an attitude? Yes. Our attitudes are mental and emotional habits. Like all other habits, we can practice them and develop them over time. You can choose what you will think about and how you will respond to life. The more you make positive, godly choices in your thought life, the more likely those choices are going to be your habitual responses in times of crisis or deep need.

Four Ways to Develop

an Attitude of Listening

How can we develop and maintain an attitude of active listening before the Lord? There are four key things we can do to discipline ourselves into developing this habit of listening and of being available to the Lord always:

1.Wait in God’s Presence

Set aside times to “wait upon the Lord” in silence. So often we spend our prayer time in talking to the Lord without spending any time just waiting in silence to see what the Lord might say to us. Take time to intentionally sit or kneel in silence before the Lord. Empty your mind of all other thoughts. Concentrate on His Word and His presence with you. Ask Him to speak to you.

Many people today seem to be uncomfortable with silence, especially silence if they are alone. It is in silence, however, that we are able to hear the “still, small voice” of the Lord. Certainly the prophet Elijah knew this. After receiving a death threat from Queen Jezebel, Elijah escaped to an isolated desert area. There, in a cave, he heard the Lord say to him,

“Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (1 Kings 19:11–13)

• What new insights do you have into this passage from 1 Kings?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

• Have you had an experience in which the Lord spoke to you in such a way that you had no doubt it was the Lord?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

Wait on the LORD;

______________________

Be of good courage,

______________________

And He shall strengthen your

______________________

heart;

______________________

Wait, I say, on the LORD! (Ps.

______________________

27:14)

______________________

Rest in the LORD, and wait

______________________

patiently for Him. (Ps. 37:7)

______________________

My soul, wait silently for God

______________________

alone,

______________________

For my expectation is from Him.

______________________

(Ps. 62:5)

______________________

But those who wait on the LORD

______________________

Shall renew their strength;

______________________

They shall mount up with wings

______________________

like eagles,

______________________

They shall run and not be weary,

______________________

They shall walk and not faint.

______________________

(Isa. 40:31)

______________________

2. Practice Frequent Praise

Praise the Lord often, regardless of your circumstances. Many people only praise the Lord when something good happens to them or when they receive an unexpected blessing. The Lord is worthy of our praise at all times, in all circumstances. We do not praise the Lord on the basis of the circumstance we are in; we praise the Lord on the basis of who He is in the midst of the circumstance. We do not praise the Lord because of the way we feel but because of who He is and the way He feels about us!

Don’t limit your praise to the song service at church. Praise the Lord often, in both words and songs that you create spontaneously. All around you, at all times, you can find countless things for which to praise the Lord. Look for those things and voice your praise and thanksgiving to God.

When you are alone in your car . . . alone in an elevator . . . alone in your office or work space . . . alone in your home . . . take that opportunity to voice praise to the Lord for who He is, what He has done through the ages, what He has done in your life and in the lives of your loved ones, and what you know without doubt the Lord is doing for you and will do for you now and throughout all eternity. You can never run out of things for which to praise God.

When you voice praise to the Lord, you open yourself up to experiencing the presence of God with you. The Bible tells us that the Lord is “enthroned” in the praises of His people (Ps. 22:3). The greater your praise, the smaller your problems are likely to appear. The more frequent your praise, the less you will find yourself with time to worry or feel anxious. The more you praise the Lord, the more you are going to “see” things that are worthy of His praise. Your entire attitude will shift from being I-centered and problem-centered, to being God-centered and answer-centered.

• Have you had experiences in which you felt a renewed presence of the Lord with you as you praised Him?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

• How do you feel after a time of praising the Lord?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

Wait on the LORD;

______________________

Be of good courage,

______________________

And He shall strengthen your

______________________

heart;

______________________

Wait, I say, on the LORD! (Ps.

______________________

27:14)

______________________

Rest in the LORD, and wait

______________________

patiently for Him. (Ps. 37:7)

______________________

My soul, wait silently for God

______________________

alone,

______________________

For my expectation is from Him.

______________________

(Ps. 62:5)

______________________

But those who wait on the LORD

______________________

Shall renew their strength;

______________________

They shall mount up with wings

______________________

like eagles,

______________________

They shall run and not be weary,

______________________

They shall walk and not faint.

______________________

(Isa. 40:31)

______________________

3. See Christ in All Things

Look for evidence of Christ in every circumstance. In even the worst disaster or most overwhelming crisis, Christ is present. When we find ourselves confused, frustrated, or overwhelmed by situations around us, the best question we can ask is, “Father, what is it that You desire to do in this situation?” Asking that question immediately shifts your focus off the problem and onto the One who has all the answers, solutions, and provision in His hand.

The Lord is utterly faithful, and He is with us always. There is no moment of any day of your life that He is beyond hearing your heart’s cry or your sincere question. How and when the Lord chooses to speak to you of His purposes is up to the Lord. We cannot force the Lord to answer us when we desire an answer, or in the way we desire. The person who asks a question of the Lord with a sincere desire for understanding, however, is a person who is going to receive an answer from the Lord in His timing and by His methods. Listen for it!

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

If then you were raised with

______________________

Christ, seek those things which

______________________

are above, where Christ is, sitting

______________________

at the right hand of God. Set your

______________________

mind on things above, not on

______________________

things on the earth. (Col. 3:1-2)

______________________

Blessed are those who keep His

______________________

testimonies,

______________________

Who seek Him with the whole

______________________

heart! (Ps. 119:2)

______________________

I love those who love me,

______________________

And those who seek me diligently

______________________

will find me. (Prov. 8:17)

______________________

[Jesus said,] “Where two or three

______________________

are gathered together in My

______________________

name, I am there in the midst of

______________________

them.” (Matt. 18:20)

______________________

4. Listen for Opportunities to Give a Witness

Look and listen continually for opportunities to witness to Christ. Every conversation you have with a friend or coworker, every encounter you have with a stranger, every chance meeting is a potential opportunity to share a word about God’s love. Many people think that to give a witness for the Lord is limited to explaining the plan of salvation. Many times our witness to another person is a reminder of God’s love, a word of wisdom from God’s Word, or a word of encouragement. Look for ways continually to insert the name of Jesus into your conversations. At times, the Lord may desire for us to admonish or to pray for a person. All of those are ways of witnessing to a person that God cares, God loves, God forgives, and God is present.

Ask the Lord as you prepare to meet with a person who is sick, in need, or just stopping by for a friendly visit, “What would You say to this person if You were meeting with him today?” Listen for the Lord’s answer.

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

So, as much as is in me, I am

______________________

ready to preach the gospel to you.

______________________

(Rom. 1:15)

______________________

Let them do good, that they be

______________________

rich in good works, ready to give,

______________________

willing to share, storing up for

______________________

themselves a good foundation for

______________________

the time to come, that they may

______________________

lay hold on eternal life. (1 Tim.

______________________

6:18-19)

______________________

Sanctify the Lord God in your

______________________

hearts, and always be ready to give

______________________

a defense to everyone who asks

______________________

you a reason for the hope that is

______________________

in you, with meekness and fear;

______________________

having a good conscience. (1 Peter

______________________

3:15-16)

______________________

Eyes to See and Ears to Hear

Jesus frequently called His disciples to have “eyes to see” and “ears to hear” what God was desiring to do in their midst (see Matt. 11:15 and 13:9 as examples). Those who had ears to hear were those who not only heard, but understood, what the Lord was telling them. That is the goal for all of our listening: a greater understanding about what the Lord is desiring to communicate to us and through us.

When we spend time listening to the Lord, praise Him frequently, look continually for His presence and work in our midst, and look continually for opportunities to give witness to Him, we are developing eyes to see and ears to hear.

• What new insights do you have into the importance of actively listening and watching for the Lord in your life?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

• What new insights do you have into the relationship between actively looking for Christ in all things and your development of greater spiritual strength?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

• In what ways are you feeling challenged?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

LESSON 7

FAITHFUL

GIVING

The Christian life is intended to be a life of generous giving. One of the most blessed and rewarding aspects of spiritual discipline is giving regularly of one’s time, talents, and material substance.

The basic understanding of all genuine believers in Christ Jesus is that everything we have received in this life—every minute we live, every ability we possess, every opportunity we are given, every child we bear, every item of material wealth, and even our abilities to express love and have faith—is a gift to us from God. God gives to us first, and it is out of the abundance of His supply to us that we give.

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

All things come from You, and of

______________________

Your own we have given You.

______________________

(1 Chron. 29:14)

______________________

And God is able to make all grace

______________________

abound toward you, that you,

______________________

always having all sufficiency in all

______________________

things, may have an abundance

______________________

for every good work. As it is

______________________

written:

______________________

“He has dispersed abroad,

______________________

He has given to the poor;

______________________

His righteousness endures for

______________________

ever.”

______________________

Now may He who supplies seed

______________________

to the sower, and bread for food,

______________________

supply and multiply the seed you

______________________

have sown and increase the fruits

______________________

of your righteousness, while you

______________________

are enriched in everything for all

______________________

liberality, which causes thanksgiv

______________________

ing through us to God. (2 Cor.

______________________

9:8-11)

______________________

Three Attributes of Our Giving

Within the broad understanding that God gives to us first and is the Source of all we have in life, the Lord challenges us to three very specific ways of expressing our faith through giving.

1. Cheerful Giving

We are to be cheerful givers.

Too often, Christians have a negative reaction to those who preach or teach about giving. In all likelihood, they also have a negative reaction toward the act of giving! Giving, however, is commanded by God. Jesus taught, “Give, and it will be given to you” (Luke 6:38). He said, “Freely you have received, freely give” (Matt. 10:8). Giving is a means of activating our faith, meeting needs, and bringing about an abundant return. When we truly catch a glimpse of the great rewards associated with our giving, we cannot help but be cheerful!

We do not give to God in order to “pay God” for anything. God’s gift of salvation to us is a free gift motivated by His unlimited love for us. The same is true for all of God’s gifts to us—He gives to us because we are His beloved children.

Rather, our giving to God sets in motion an opportunity for God to meet our needs, meet the needs of others, and cause a great abundance of joy and blessings to come our way. Jesus said that when we give, what is returned to us will be in “good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you” (Luke 6:38). God multiplies what we give in ways we cannot understand . . . but in which we surely can receive!

• How do you feel about giving to God?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

• In your life, have you experienced the joy and abundance that come from cheerful giving?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

So let each one give as he pur

______________________

poses in his heart, not grudgingly

______________________

or of necessity; for God loves a

______________________

cheerful giver. (2 Cor. 9:7)

______________________

You shall seek the place where

______________________

the LORD your God chooses,

______________________

out of all your tribes, to put His

______________________

name for His dwelling place; and

______________________

there you shall go. There you

______________________

shall take your burnt offerings,

______________________

your sacrifices, your tithes, the

______________________

heave offerings of your hand,

______________________

your vowed offerings, your

______________________

freewill offerings, and the first-

______________________

born of your herds and flocks.

______________________

And there you shall eat before the

______________________

LORD your God, and you shall

______________________

rejoice in all to which you have

______________________

put your hand, you and your

______________________

households, in which the LORD

______________________

your God has blessed you. (Deut.

______________________

12:5-7)

______________________

2. Consistent Giving

We are to be consistent givers.

God sets the standard for our giving as a tithe of what we receive—a tithe being one-tenth. Our giving is not to be sporadic or scattered, but rather, consistent and focused. As we receive, we are to give a tenth to God’s work—regularly. We are to give to the place where we participate in the worship of the Lord— the tithe is not intended for a “charitable organization” but for a work that bears the Lord’s name. It is to further the work of the Lord, which is the spreading of the gospel and the teaching of God’s Word.

Read this passage from Malachi:

“Will a man rob God?

Yet you have robbed Me!

But you say,

‘In what way have we robbed You?’

In tithes and offerings.

You are cursed with a curse,

For you have robbed Me,

Even this whole nation.

Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,

That there may be food in My house,

And try Me now in this,”

Says the LORD of hosts,

“If I will not open for you the windows of heaven

And pour out for you such blessing

That there will not be room enough to receive it.

And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes,

So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground,

Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,”

Says the LORD of hosts;

“And all nations will call you blessed,

For you will be a delightful land,”

Says the LORD of hosts. (Mal. 3:8–12)

God draws a very clear line. Those who fail to give according to His commandment are not blessed—those who do give tithes and offerings are blessed.

• What new insights do you have into this passage from Malachi 3?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

There are those Christians who believe that tithing was only for Old Testament times. Why didn’t Jesus teach about tithing? Because the people were already tithing! Tithing was deeply ingrained in the fabric of the society in which Jesus ministered. There was no reason to preach about something the people were already doing. In fact, the deeply religious Pharisees were tithing the herbs that grew in their gardens. Jesus did not criticize their tithing; instead, He approved of their tithing and said they were to place greater importance on bigger issues: God’s justice and God’s love. He said, “You tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone” (Luke 11:42).

Jesus also taught a great deal about giving to the needy (see Matt. 25:37– 40), and He taught sacrificial giving (Mark 12:41– 44).

• How do you feel when you hear the word tithe?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

• In what ways are you feeling challenged in your spirit?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

All the tithe of the land, whether

______________________

of the seed of the land

______________________

or of the fruit of the tree, is the

______________________

LORD’s. It is holy to the LORD . . .

______________________

And concerning the tithe of the

______________________

herd or the flock, of whatever passes

______________________

under the rod, the tenth one shall be

______________________

holy to the LORD. (Lev. 27:30, 32)

______________________

Honor the LORD with your pos

______________________

sessions,

______________________

And with the firstfruits of all your

______________________

increase;

______________________

So your barns will be filled with

______________________

plenty,

______________________

And your vats will overflow with

______________________

new wine. (Prov. 3:9-10)

______________________

Let us not grow weary while

______________________

doing good, for in due season we

______________________

shall reap if we do not lose heart.

______________________

(Gal. 6:9)

______________________

3. Generous Giving

We are to be generous givers.

The first-century Christians were generous givers. They not only tithed to the storehouse of the Lord, but in some cases, they sacrificed all they had for the benefit of their brothers and sisters in Christ (see Acts 4:34–37).

The apostle Paul described a ministry gift of giving, and admonished those with this gift to give “with liberality” (Rom. 12:8). Those who are called to such a ministry go beyond the giving of tithes and offerings. All of us, however, are challenged to give with generosity—to go above and beyond the tithe and to give generous offerings.

The degree to which we give is the degree to which we receive.

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

Do not be deceived, God is

______________________

not mocked; for whatever a man

______________________

sows, that he will also reap. (Gal.

______________________

6:7)

______________________

He who sows sparingly will also

______________________

reap sparingly, and he who sows

______________________

bountifully will also reap bounti

______________________

fully. (2 Cor. 9:6)

______________________

An Expression of Trust in God

Our giving is a direct expression of our trust in God. It is a sign of our willingness to “let go” of the controls of our life and our material well-being and “let God” direct us, use us, and bless us as He desires. The psalmist wrote,

Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good;

Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints!

There is no want to those who fear Him.

The young lions lack and suffer hunger;

But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.

(Ps. 34:8–10)

The promise of God to you as His beloved child is that He “shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19).

Are you willing to trust God today with your giving? Are you willing to trust Him to take care of you and to meet all of your material needs?

It takes discipline of your will to become a cheerful, consistent, and generous giver. Your giving is a key, however, to releasing the blessings of God into your life. It is vitally linked to your ability to trust God, and therefore, to your ability to grow spiritually.

• What new insights do you have into the relationship between giving and spiritual growth?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

• In what ways are you feeling challenged in your spirit?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

LESSON 8

INVOLVEMENT

WITH OTHER

BELIEVERS

One of the most important spiritual disciplines you can develop in your life is faithful involvement with other believers. I am always amazed when a Christian tells me, “Oh, I don’t go to church very often. I’d rather stay at home and listen to Christian television or radio programs, or listen to Bible-teaching tapes.” Others reluctantly admit to me, “We only go to church when we can work it into our family schedule” or “I go to church as often as I can,” which usually means not very often. While I certainly am all in favor of Christian television, radio, and tape ministries, I also know they are no substitute for your regular attendance and faithful involvement in the worship services, ministry outreaches, and educational programs of your church.

The writer to the Hebrews said,

Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. (Heb.10:24–25)

• What insights do you have into this passage from Hebrews?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

The Body of Christ

No Christian has ever been called to “go it alone” in his or her faith walk. We need one another. The church was designed from the beginning to function as the living body of Christ on the earth after the Lord’s resurrection and ascension.

The apostle Paul wrote,

For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. (Rom. 12:4–8)

Part of the reason we need to be in regular fellowship with other believers is so we might receive the benefit of their spiritual gifts, and in turn, give our spiritual gifts to the body of Christ. We individually are made stronger as we both receive and give. Simultaneously, the church to which we belong is made stronger and more effective as a whole.

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

The bread which we break, is it

______________________

of Christ? For we, though many,

______________________

are one bread and one body; for

______________________

we all partake of that one bread.

______________________

(1 Cor. 10:16-17)

______________________

And He put all things under His

______________________

feet, and gave Him to be head

______________________

over all things to the church,

______________________

which is His body, the fullness of

______________________

Him who fills all in all. (Eph.

______________________

1:22-23)

______________________

For as the body is one and has

______________________

many members, but all the mem

______________________

bers of that one body, being

______________________

many, are one body, so also is

______________________

Christ. For by one Spirit we were

______________________

all baptized into one body-

______________________

whether Jews or Greeks, whether

______________________

slaves or free-and have all been

______________________

made to drink into one Spirit.

______________________

For in fact the body is not one

______________________

member but many. (1 Cor.

______________________

12:12-14)

______________________

God has set the members, each

______________________

one of them, in the body just as

______________________

He pleased. (1 Cor. 12:18)

______________________

God composed the body, having

______________________

given greater honor to that part

______________________

which lacks it, that there should

______________________

be no schism in the body, but

______________________

the same care for one another.

______________________

And if one member suffers, all

______________________

the members suffer with it; or if

______________________

one member is honored, all the

______________________

members rejoice with it. (1 Cor.

______________________

12:24-26)

______________________

• How do you feel about being a member of the body of Christ? Do you have both positive and negative feelings? Do you know why you feel the way you do?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

• In what ways are you feeling challenged in your spirit?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

Our Ministry to Other Believers

Jesus made it very clear that our foremost ministry to other believers is to love them. He said to His disciples shortly before His crucifixion: “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” ( John 15:12). The apostle Paul echoed this command in his writing to the Ephesians: “Be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us” (Eph. 5:1–2).

The New Testament writers identified several specific ways in which we are called to show love to one another within the body of Christ. Paul wrote to the Colossians,

Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. (Col. 3:15–17)

As members of the Body of Christ, we are to

• pray for one another ( James 5:16).

• speak well of one another ( James 4:11).

• speak truthful and admonishing words to one another (Rom. 15:14).

• be hospitable and giving to one another (1 Peter 4:9–10).

• comfort and build up one another (1 Thess. 5:11).

• pursue the common good (1 Thess. 5:15).

• encourage and build up one another (1 Cor. 14:26).

• bless one another (1 Peter 3:8–9).

How much we miss if we isolate ourselves from the body of Christ!

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

Confess your trespasses to one

______________________

another, and pray for one

______________________

another, that you may be healed.

______________________

(James 5:16)

______________________

Do not speak evil of one another,

______________________

brethren . . .Who are you to judge

______________________

another? (James 4:11-12)

______________________

You also are full of goodness,

______________________

filled with all knowledge, able

______________________

also to admonish one another.

______________________

(Rom. 15:14)

______________________

Be hospitable to one another

______________________

without grumbling. As each one

______________________

has received a gift, minister it to

______________________

one another, as good stewards of

______________________

the manifold grace of God. (1

______________________

Peter 4:9-10)

______________________

Comfort each other and edify one

______________________

another. (1 Thess. 5:11)

______________________

See that no one renders evil for

______________________

evil to anyone, but always pursue

______________________

what is good both for yourselves

______________________

and for all. (1 Thess. 5:15)

______________________

How is it then, brethren?

______________________

Whenever you come together,

______________________

each of you has a psalm, has a

______________________

teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation,

______________________

has an interpretation. Let

______________________

all things be done for edification.

______________________

(1 Cor. 14:26)

______________________

Finally, all of you be of one mind,

______________________

having compassion for one

______________________

another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted,

______________________

be courteous; not

______________________

returning evil for evil or reviling

______________________

for reviling, but on the contrary

______________________

blessing, knowing that you were

______________________

called to this, that you may

______________________

inherit a blessing. (1 Peter 3:8-9)

______________________

• In what specific ways have you been blessed through the years by others in the body of Christ?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

• In what ways are you feeling challenged in your spirit today?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

Our Service to Others Outside the Church

Along with others in the body of Christ,we are to be involved in active ministry to those who do not know the Lord. Jesus sent out His disciples two by two. He gave them power and authority over all demons, and power to cure diseases. He told them to preach the kingdom of God and heal the sick (Luke 9:1–2).

On another occasion, Jesus sent out seventy of His disciples, again two by two, and He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest . . . Heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you’” (Luke 10:2, 9).

If we desire to be followers of Jesus today, we must acknowledge that He is sending us out as well, and He is saying the same things to us—we are to heal the sick and proclaim the kingdom of God.

• What new insights do you have into these passages from Luke?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

Taking On the Ministry of Christ

Jesus used the words of Isaiah to describe His ministry on earth:

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me,

Because the LORD has anointed Me

To preach good tidings to the poor;

He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives,

And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD,

And the day of vengeance of our God;

To comfort all who mourn,

To console those who mourn in Zion,

To give them beauty for ashes,

The oil of joy for mourning,

The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;

That they may be called trees of righteousness,

The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified. (Isa. 61:1–3)

If we are truly to be the body of Christ on the earth today, shouldn’t we be engaged in these very same ministries?

• What insights do you have into this passage from Isaiah 61 as these verses apply to your life and the life of your church?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

Jesus also taught His disciples,

Then the King will say to those on His right hand, “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.” Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, “Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?” And the King will answer and say to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” (Matt. 25:34–40)

• What insights do you have into this passage from Matthew 25?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

Just as we are never called to “go it alone” in our faith walk, we are never called to “go it alone” in ministry to others. Jesus sent out His disciples two by two. He said about our ministry, “If two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matt. 18:19–20).

Paul encouraged the Philippians, “Stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel” (Phil. 1:27).

In Revelation, John recorded again and again these four convicting words of Jesus that He spoke to the churches: “I know your works” (see Rev. 2:2, 9, 19 as examples). What we do as the body of Christ—as unto the Lord, unto one another, and unto the lost—is the basis on which we will be judged and rewarded.

• What new insights do you have into the importance of ministry —both to the body of Christ and as the body of Christ—in developing spiritual strength?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

• In what ways are you feeling challenged in your spirit?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

LESSON 9

THE FOUR R’S

OF SPIRITUAL

GROWTH

Are you aware that Christians are commanded to grow spiritually? We are commanded to practice spiritual disciplines and to mature. Peter said,“Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).This is not a nice statement of encouragement or advice—it is an “order” from the Lord.

None of us automatically grow spiritually. We each must choose to grow. And, we must choose to continue to grow. We must never be satisfied with our current level of spiritual strength. We must always seek to become stronger, more mature, and more effective for the Lord.

In God’s Word, we find four keys that are prerequisites to growth, no matter how mature a person may be in the Lord.

1. Ready to Face Failures

Most of us try to dismiss, sidestep, or justify our faults and failures. We sometimes try to take the easy way out, saying, “That’s just the way I am” or “That’s the way I was raised.” The fact is, most of us are not “just the way God wants us to be.” Before the basic spiritual disciplines can be truly effective in causing us to mature into the likeness of Christ Jesus, we must face our faults and failures, take responsibility for them, and go to God with them.

Is there an area in your life where you have experienced repeated failures? Can you point to certain faults that you seem to have had all your life? Let me assure you, God has a way for those failures to be turned into victories and those faults to be turned into strengths. God has a great desire to see you made whole, and He will continue to pursue the faults and failures that fragment you and cause you to be dysfunctional, uneasy, or deeply frustrated. He will continue to move against any obstacle or barrier that stands in the way of your experiencing wholeness or intimacy with Him.

The first step is one we must take: Own up to our failures, flaws, and faults. Stop blaming others and assume responsibility. Confess to God, “I have brought myself to the place where I am today.” Admit, “I am the one who has allowed this past to continue to be my present.”

True repentance is moving in the opposite direction of past sin. It is an act of the will, empowered by the Holy Spirit within us, to change from our wicked ways, evil attitudes, hurtful words, and wrong behaviors. For a person truly to repent, he first must own up to those things that need to be changed.

If the spiritual disciplines you practice are going to be effective, you must recognize that some things about your life need healing, and that you are responsible for using your will and faith to bring about changes.

• How do you feel about changing those things in your life that you know are contrary to God’s desire for you?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

Therefore we also, since we are

______________________

surrounded by so great a cloud of

______________________

witnesses, let us lay aside every

______________________

weight, and the sin which so easily

______________________

ensnares us, and let us run

______________________

with endurance the race that is

______________________

set before us. (Heb. 12:1)

______________________

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of

______________________

God, by whom you were sealed

______________________

for the day of redemption. Let all

______________________

bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor,

______________________

and evil speaking be put away

______________________

from you, with all malice. And be

______________________

kind to one another, tenderhearted,

______________________

forgiving one another,

______________________

even as God in Christ forgave

______________________

you. (Eph. 4:30-32)

______________________

Thus says the Lord GOD:

______________________

“Repent, turn away from your

______________________

idols, and turn your faces away

______________________

from all your abominations.”

______________________

(Ezek. 14:6)

______________________

2. Receive Godly Counsel

Every Christian, no matter his degree of spiritual strength and maturity, can benefit from wise counsel that is couched in love, forgiveness, and confidentiality. God has placed Christian brothers and sisters in your life to encourage you, to admonish you, to teach you, and to give you godly counsel regarding God’s unique plan and purpose for your life. Avail yourself of their help!

In order to benefit from wise counsel, a person must choose to be transparent and vulnerable emotionally. He must choose to be candid, forthcoming, and truthful about his own life, desires, and motivations. He must face up to the fact that he does not know fully all that God desires for him to know, and that he needs the greater wisdom that can come only as we share our life in Christ.

Always, the Word of God is the basis for wise counsel. All advice that we receive must flow from God’s Word and be echoed by God’s Word.

If you truly desire to grow to full spiritual maturity in Christ Jesus, you need to avail yourself of the wisdom that others can offer to you.

• In reflecting on your Christian walk, can you cite specific ways in which you have benefited from wise spiritual counselors, teachers, and mentors in the faith?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

[Jesus taught,] “I still have many

______________________

things to say to you, but you cannot

______________________

bear them now. However,

______________________

when He, the Spirit of truth, has

______________________

come, He will guide you into all

______________________

truth; for He will not speak on

______________________

His own authority, but whatever

______________________

He hears He will speak; and He

______________________

will tell you things to come. He

______________________

will glorify Me, for He will take of

______________________

what is Mine and declare it to

______________________

you.” ( John 16:12-14)

______________________

My beloved brethren, let every

______________________

man be swift to hear. ( James

______________________

1:19)

______________________

3. Reflect on God’s Work

The Bible commands us to live a daily life—to trust God to meet our daily needs and to walk fully in the present moment of our existence. At the same time, we find numerous instances in God’s Word in which the people were called to reflect upon God’s goodness to them, or to catch a glimpse of the broader, universal, and eternal work that God is doing—both in the world as a whole today, and throughout the ages.

It is as we learn about and study the ways in which God has worked in the lives of others—not only the people we read about in the Bible but in the course of history—that we gain a greater understanding of how God will work in our lives. We can learn a great deal by hearing and reflecting upon the way God is working in the lives of other Christians today, including those whom we recognize as being more mature in Christ Jesus.

If you are to benefit fully from practicing spiritual disciplines, you need to be able to see your life in the broader context of what God is doing in the world . . . and what He desires to do. You must see how your life meshes with the lives of others in your family, your church, and your community. You must gain an understanding that what the Lord desires to do in you is aimed at what the Lord desires ultimately to do through you.

• In your experience with Christ Jesus, how have you benefited from the examples of other Christians, both in history and in your own life?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

Now, therefore, you are no longer

______________________

strangers and foreigners, but fellow

______________________

citizens with the saints and

______________________

members of the household of

______________________

God, having been built on the

______________________

foundation of the apostles and

______________________

prophets, Jesus Christ Himself

______________________

being the chief cornerstone, in

______________________

whom the whole building, being

______________________

fitted together, grows into a holy

______________________

temple in the Lord, in whom you

______________________

also are being built together for a

______________________

dwelling place of God in the

______________________

Spirit. (Eph. 2:19-22)

______________________

There is one body and one Spirit,

______________________

just as you were called in one

______________________

hope of your calling; one Lord,

______________________

one faith, one baptism; one God

______________________

and Father of all, who is above all,

______________________

and through all, and in you all.

______________________

But to each one of us grace was

______________________

given according to the measure of

______________________

Christ’s gift. (Eph. 4:4-7)

______________________

4. Response to Trials

The person who practices spiritual disciplines and is growing in Christ Jesus must recognize that he is going to face trials and tests in life. Many people believe that God can and should spare a Christian from all negative experiences. In fact, God uses trials and tests for our benefit. They become our opportunity to learn more about God’s methods, purposes, and perfect plan—they are our “school” for learning how to grow stronger in faith.

If you are practicing spiritual disciplines, you are going to be better equipped to face trials and tests that come your way. Rather than run from them, or deny their existence, ask the Lord why He has allowed a specific trial or test to come into your life. Look for the lesson He desires to teach you or the character trait He desires to strengthen. God knows all about the trial or test you are experiencing, and He has allowed it to come into your life for a purpose. Ask Him to reveal that purpose to you. Ask Him to help you trust Him to bring you through the trial in a way that results in glory to Him.

At the same time, ask the Lord if the trial or trouble you are experiencing is a “chastening” from Him. The Lord only chastens those whom He loves and desires to perfect. Ask the Lord, “Is there something in my life that You desire for me to change?” If the answer is “Yes,” act quickly to obey the Lord’s directive or to confess the sin that is holding you back from spiritual growth.

• In reflecting on your Christian walk, can you cite ways in which trials and tests strengthened you spiritually or deepened your relationship with the Lord?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

Beloved, do not think it strange

______________________

concerning the fiery trial which is

______________________

to try you, as though some strange

______________________

thing happened to you; but rejoice

______________________

to the extent that you partake of

______________________

Christ’s sufferings, that when His

______________________

glory is revealed, you may also be

______________________

glad with exceeding joy . . . If anyone

______________________

suffers as a Christian, let him

______________________

not be ashamed, but let him glorify

______________________

God in this matter. (1 Peter

______________________

4:12-13, 16)

______________________

“My son, do not despise the chastening

______________________

of the LORD,

______________________

Nor be discouraged when you are

______________________

rebuked by Him;

______________________

For whom the LORD loves He

______________________

chastens,

______________________

And scourges every son whom He

______________________

receives . . .”

______________________

We have had human fathers who

______________________

corrected us, and we paid them

______________________

respect. Shall we not much more

______________________

readily be in subjection to the Father

______________________

of spirits and live? For they indeed

______________________

for a few days chastened us as

______________________

seemed best to them but He for our

______________________

profit, that we may be partakers of

______________________

His holiness. (Heb. 12:5-6, 9-10)

______________________

We must never lose sight of the fact that we are in relationship with a holy God. God manifests no darkness, no shadow of turning, and no tolerance for evil or deceit. For us to approach God, we must be in a state of forgiveness, which is only made possible as we face up to our sin, seek God’s forgiveness, and choose to live in His righteousness. This is a daily decision we each must make: a daily decision to confess our sin, a daily receiving of His forgiveness, and a daily desire to walk in the paths the Holy Spirit reveals to us.

Can a person who refuses to face his failures and faults grow spiritually? No.

Can a person who refuses to receive godly counsel truly grow into great spiritual maturity? No.

Can a person who does not see his life in the broader context of God’s plan for all mankind truly know how to employ spiritual strength and power? No.

Can a person who is unwilling to face life’s trials and troubles with a reliance upon God become strong spiritually? No.

Can a person who is unwilling to be chastened by the Lord grow into perfection in Christ Jesus? No.

We each must be willing to face our faults, confess our sins, receive godly counsel, seek God’s “big picture” for our life, trust God regardless of circumstances, and yield to the chastening of the Lord if we are to benefit fully from the practice of spiritual disciplines.

A Christian can read his Bible daily, communicate with the Lord often in prayer, attend church regularly, be involved in outreach ministry, and give faithfully, but unless he is willing to change, to grow, to be perfected, and then to be used however and whenever and wherever God desires, these disciplines will not yield their maximum benefit.

A total submission of our life to God’s remolding and remaking of us is required.

• What new insights do you have into the process of spiritual growth?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

• In what ways are you feeling challenged in your spirit today?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

LESSON 10

TEN HALLMARKS

OF SPIRITUAL

STRENGTH

How will you know when you are spiritually strong and mature in Christ Jesus? What is the result for those who diligently practice spiritual disciplines and seek to grow spiritually?

From my many years of pastoring, I have concluded that there are ten hallmarks or “signs” that routinely appear in those who are spiritually strong. As you read through these attributes and study them, I encourage you to evaluate your own life . . . and to refrain from judging others. Not all of these attributes may be present in a person with equal strength, but these are the marks of a person who is spiritually healthy and mature. They are the attributes of a person who has grown to a deep level of intimacy with God and who routinely experiences God’s presence and power in his life.

1. A Great Hunger for God

Those who are spiritually mature have a hunger for the things of God. This hunger is what has led them to develop spiritual disciplines and to mature in Christ Jesus. Those with a hunger for God are not content with knowing Him in an objective way as Creator, Savior, or almighty God. They desire to know Him as Lord—to develop an intimate relationship with the Lord, to know what the Lord desires of them and for them, and to experience the Lord’s presence on a daily basis. They want to know God in all His fullness—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They desire to recognize and respond immediately to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, however He may lead them.

• Do you have a “hunger” for God in your life? Do you continue to desire to know Him better?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

As the deer pants for the water

______________________

brooks,

______________________

So pants my soul for You, O God.

______________________

My soul thirsts for God, for the

______________________

living God. (Ps. 42:1-2)

______________________

What things were gain to me,

______________________

these things I have counted loss

______________________

for Christ.Yet indeed I also count

______________________

all things loss for the excellence of

______________________

the knowledge of Christ Jesus my

______________________

Lord . . . that I may gain Christ

______________________

and be found in Him. (Phil.

______________________

3:7-9)

______________________

2. A Desire to Know God’s Truth

The spiritually mature person knows God’s Word and continually seeks to apply it in his life. He not only knows what the Bible has to say, but he also knows the meaning of the Scriptures and considers God’s Word to be the ultimate authority in helping him make decisions and eternally significant choices.

• How do you feel about knowing God’s truth? Is it a top priority in your life?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

In His word I do hope. (Ps.

______________________

130:5)

______________________

Teach me, O LORD, the way of

______________________

Your statutes,

______________________

And I shall keep it to the end.

______________________

Give me understanding, and I

______________________

shall keep Your law;

______________________

Indeed, I shall observe it with my

______________________

whole heart. (Ps. 119:33-34)

______________________

3. No Tolerance for Evil

The spiritually mature person has no tolerance for evil in any form. He is able to discern evil, recognize sin, and has an abhorrence for all that is contrary to God’s goodness, grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness.

This does not mean that the spiritually mature Christian is judgmental of people, but rather, of actions and words. Christians are called to judge deeds—to judge right from wrong (see 1 Peter 4:17).The mature Christian has a desire to remove himself as far as possible from activities and situations that give rise to sin.

• As you look back over your life, can you cite things that once attracted you that you no longer find attractive or worthy of your time, energy, or finances?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

Beloved, do not believe every

______________________

spirit, but test the spirits, whether

______________________

they are of God; because many

______________________

false prophets have gone out into

______________________

the world. By this you know the

______________________

Spirit of God: Every spirit that

______________________

confesses that Jesus Christ has

______________________

come in the flesh is of God, and

______________________

every spirit that does not confess

______________________

that Jesus Christ has come in the

______________________

flesh is not of God. (1 John

______________________

4:1-3)

______________________

His divine power has given to us

______________________

all things that pertain to life and

______________________

godliness, through the knowledge

______________________

of Him who called us by glory

______________________

and virtue. (2 Peter 1:3)

______________________

Turn away my eyes from looking

______________________

at worthless things, And revive

______________________

me in Your way. (Ps. 119:37)

______________________

4. A Desire for God’s Will to Be Done

The Bible teaches that we as believers are in this world, but we are not to be of this world. As believers in the world, we must abide by natural laws, live within the constraints of manmade laws, and provide for ourselves within the “systems” of this world. But we are not to have the same desires and lusts that the world exhibits. We are not to have the same dreams, goals, or hopes. Rather, we are to desire with our whole hearts that God’s will be done on this earth. As we pray in the Lord’s Prayer, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10 KJV).

• Do you have a strong desire to live your life GOD’s way?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

Set your mind on things above,

______________________

not on things on the earth. (Col.

______________________

3:2)

______________________

Now we have received, not the

______________________

spirit of the world, but the Spirit

______________________

who is from God, that we might

______________________

know the things that have been

______________________

freely given to us by God. (1 Cor.

______________________

2:12)

______________________

Do not love the world or the

______________________

things in the world. If anyone loves

______________________

the world, the love of the Father

______________________

is not in him . . . And the world

______________________

is passing away, and the lust of

______________________

it; but he who does the will of

______________________

God abides forever. (1 John

______________________

2:15-17)

______________________

5. A Growing Love for Others

The spiritually strong person not only exhibits spiritual power, but also great love. The mature Christian is able to express love and has a desire to extend love to an ever-widening circle of people. The mature Christian has little concern with appearances, status, or personal reputation. His foremost concern is with expressing God’s love to the sinner and to any person in need. He has an ever-growing desire to reach out, to touch, to speak, to share, to listen, and to be used by God to shower His love on those who are hurting.

• In your Christian walk, can you cite specific ways in which your ability to love has increased or your willingness to express love has grown?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

If someone says, “I love God,”

______________________

and hates his brother, he is a liar;

______________________

for he who does not love his

______________________

brother whom he has seen, how

______________________

can he love God whom he has not

______________________

seen? And this commandment we

______________________

have from Him; that he who loves

______________________

God must love his brother also.

______________________

(1 John 4:20-21)

______________________

[Jesus taught,] “‘You shall love

______________________

the LORD your God with all your

______________________

heart, with all your soul, and with

______________________

all your mind.’ This is the first

______________________

and great commandment. And

______________________

the second is like it: ‘You shall

______________________

love your neighbor as yourself.’”

______________________

(Matt. 22:37-39)

______________________

6. Quickness to Forgive

The spiritually strong person is quick to forgive those who offend, wrong, hurt, or reject him. He harbors no resentment and is quick to make apologies, seek to make amends, and settle disputes peacefully. Does he compromise with evil or have a greater desire to be yoked with nonbelievers? No! The mature Christian, rather, has a desire to live in peace with others and to live free of bitterness and feelings of revenge.

• How do you feel when others hurt you or reject you?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

[Jesus taught,] “Love your enemies,

______________________

do good, and lend, hoping

______________________

for nothing in return; and

______________________

your reward will be great, and

______________________

you will be sons of the Most

______________________

High. For He is kind to the

______________________

unthankful and evil. Therefore be

______________________

merciful, just as your Father also

______________________

is merciful. Judge not, and you

______________________

shall not be judged. Condemn

______________________

not, and you shall not be condemned.

______________________

Forgive, and you will be

______________________

forgiven.” (Luke 6:35-37)

______________________

7. Quickness to Obey

When the spiritually mature person receives a directive from the Holy Spirit, he is quick to act. When he feels a conviction of sin, he is quick to confess his sin, seek God’s forgiveness, and change his ways. The mature Christian has a deep desire to do God’s will. He longs to hear God speak to him, and when He does, he responds enthusiastically and immediately, with full effort given to whatever God commands.

• In looking back over your Christian walk, can you see that you are now quicker to say yes to God?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

Now it shall come to pass, if you

______________________

diligently obey the voice of the

______________________

LORD your God, to observe carefully

______________________

all His commandments

______________________

which I command you today, that

______________________

the LORD your God will set you

______________________

high above all nations of the

______________________

earth. And all these blessings

______________________

shall come upon you and overtake

______________________

you, because you obey the

______________________

voice of the LORD your God.

______________________

(Deut. 28:1-2)

______________________

[Jesus said,] “Whoever hears

______________________

these sayings of Mine, and does

______________________

them, I will liken him to a wise

______________________

man who built his house on the

______________________

rock: and the rain descended, the

______________________

floods came, and the winds blew

______________________

and beat on that house; and it did

______________________

not fall, for it was founded on the

______________________

rock.” (Matt. 7:24-25)

______________________

8. Great Faith

Every person has been given a measure of faith (Rom. 12:3). But not every believer has developed the same degree of faith. Faith is intended to be used, to be exercised. And the more a person uses his faith, the stronger it grows. The Bible speaks of varying degrees of faith—from “little faith” (see Matt. 14:31), to “great faith” (see Matt. 15:28). The mature believer is a person who is developing and using his faith with the goal of having great faith.

• Can you look back on your Christian life and see that your faith has grown?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

For in it [the gospel of Christ] the

______________________

righteousness of God is revealed

______________________

from faith to faith; as it is written,

______________________

“The just shall live by faith.”

______________________

(Rom. 1:17)

______________________

We are bound to thank God

______________________

always for you, brethren, as it is

______________________

fitting, because your faith grows

______________________

exceedingly. (2 Thess. 1:3)

______________________

9. A Soft Heart

The spiritually strong person has a soft heart toward those in need—he is tender and sensitive to those who are hurting, and he desires to respond in ways that are appropriate and bring glory to God. He has a strong desire to see sinners receive Jesus Christ as their Savior. He has a commitment to help in whatever way he can to see that the practical, emotional, and spiritual needs of others are met.

• How do you feel toward those who are in need?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

Be kindly affectionate to one

______________________

another with brotherly love, in

______________________

honor giving preference to one

______________________

another; not lagging in diligence,

______________________

fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;

______________________

rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation,

______________________

continuing steadfastly in

______________________

prayer; distributing to the needs

______________________

of the saints, given to hospitality.

______________________

(Rom. 12:10-13)

______________________

Rejoice with those who rejoice,

______________________

and weep with those who weep.

______________________

(Rom. 12:15)

______________________

10. Deep Love for God

The spiritually mature person has a deep and abiding love for God. He recognizes God as his loving, merciful, tender, patient heavenly Father—a Father who can be trusted completely to provide, give wisdom, be present always, bestow blessings, and give unconditional love.

• As you reflect upon your Christian walk, can you see how your feelings of love have grown toward God?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

What the Word Says

What the Word Says to Me

The love of God has been

______________________

poured out in our hearts by

______________________

the Holy Spirit who was given to

______________________

us. (Rom. 5:5)

______________________

We love Him because He first

______________________

loved us. (1 John 4:19)

______________________

Are you satisfied today with your level of spiritual maturity? Are you the person you desire to be when you see Jesus face-to-face? If not, ask the Lord to help you develop a hunger to know Him better and to show you how you might grow in your spirit.

• What new insights do you have into the life that is manifested by those who routinely practice spiritual disciplines over time?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

• In what ways are you feeling challenged in your spirit?

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

CONCLUSION

THE BASICS

NEVER CHANGE

Every coach knows that when a team gets into trouble, that is not the time to introduce new plays or change the overall strategy. Rather, it’s time to “return to basics,” to reinforce the tried-and-true drills and practices.

The same is true spiritually. Down through the ages, Christians have known that when they practice basic spiritual disciplines—reading God’s Word daily, praying often, giving faithfully, attending church regularly, staying active in outreach ministries—they are much more likely to

• hear from God.

• experience God’s love, joy, and peace.

• grow in the effective use of their talents.

• receive blessings beyond anything they had asked or imagined (see Eph. 3:20).

We never grow beyond our need for the basics. They are the foundation on which all other aspects of our Christian life are built. They are the disciplines that need to become deeply ingrained habits in us.

In which area of spiritual discipline do you find yourself lacking?

Make the developing or renewal of that particular discipline a priority in your life, without neglecting the other disciplines. And then see what God will do in you, through you, and for you. It is as we practice the basics—regularly, consistently, and with perseverance—that we grow and become strong in the Lord.

Table of Contents

Introduction: The Strength of the Believer

1. Our Blueprint for Strength

2. Obedience to God’s Commandments

3. Conformation to Christ

4. A Personal Study of the Scriptures

5. Getting to Know the Lord

6. Looking for Christ in All Things

7. Faithful Giving

8. Involvement with Other Believers

9.The Four R’s of Spiritual Growth

10.Ten Hallmarks of Spiritual Strength

Conclusion: The Basics Never Change