Spiritual Discipline - Devotion
From the Storehouse series we discovered that …
God’s people are to bring all that’s useful to a place reserved for the benefit of the community - a Storehouse. (see Malachi 3:10)
While having an understanding that God has created us in Christ to do good works that He had prepared for us long ago, we are now facing the truth that our commitment to God should bring us into a time of training and development into servants so we can grow up to be like Jesus. (see Ephesians 4:12-13)
According to the ROOTED discipleship experience, there are seven rhythms to the Believers faith experience.
The number seven has a strong biblical presence. Scripture uses the number to emphasize God’s perfection and completion. Here are a few examples.
God created our week to have seven days and the seventh day was the Holiest and most sacred of all the days.
In Matthew 13 Jesus is quoted as giving seven parables.
Seven Psalms are ascribed to David in the New Testament.
In the book of Revelation there are seven churches, seven angels to the seven churches, seven seals, seven trumpet plagues, seven thunders and the seven last plagues. The first resurrection of the dead takes place at the 7th trumpet, completing salvation for the Church.
The
of Faith Living
The first rhythm or discipline in developing a stronger image of Jesus is to spend time with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit personally - Devotion. To be “devoted” to anything requires one to give all or a large part of one’s time or resources to that thing or person.
The act of devotion is characterized by love or loyalty. Let’s look at the very first Psalm in scripture. (Psalm 1:1-3)
The Blessed Life – the life God has chosen for us in Christ!
Starts with
Psalm 1:1
“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,”
Don’t walk, stand or sit with those who are sinning as a preferred way of life. In more real terms for our understanding:
Don’t (walk in step) pattern your life as those who live in darkness.
Don’t (stand in the way) take the banner or philosophy of sinful people.
Don’t (sit in the company) enjoy socializing with people who disregard God’s ways.
Psalm 1:2
“but [the one] whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night.”
Includes
If you love God’s words, are devoted or loyal to His ways, and are willing to pour your vast resources of time and energy into getting to know Him, you will have a blessed life.
Psalm 1:3
“That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.”
The life devoted to God:
Has a fresh new beginning (planted by streams of water),
Is consistent in fruitful living (yields its fruit in season),
Finds endurance through life’s trying times (leaf does not wither),
Whatever challenges or tasks that lie ahead God’s people will find success in His time (whatever they do prospers).
Not so for the
Living a life that is not devoted to God can lead to a path of temptation and desire that steals away our love and loyalty to God – this puts us on the road of sin and darkness. (see 1 Kings 11:4)
Psalm 1:4-6 confirm the teaching of destruction for those who have no devotion to God. They are referred to as “the wicked”.
“Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. 5Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment (but will fall), nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous (will have no place in the assembly). 6For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous (God takes care of those who seek Him and find Him), but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.”
Are you interested in a blessed life or a life of destruction?
Prayerfully seek out the Lord, repent of the sin in your life, and surrender to His loving and gracious power over the darkness of this world.
Commit all of your being to Him who loves you.
And be loyal to Him and His Covenant to us.
Then start your journey of getting to know the life that God has chosen for you!
Then let it be to you as the Psalmist said of the Israelites of old. (See Psalm 78:7-8)