Last week we began a series on Spiritual Disciplines.
• David Mathis, in his book Habits of Grace, said “God has his regular channels— the means of grace— those well-worn pathways along which he is so often pleased to pass and pour out his goodness on those waiting expectantly.”
• Donald Whitney in Spiritual Disciples for the Christian Life, defines these disciplines as “those personal and interpersonal activities given by God in the Bible as the sufficient means believers in Jesus Christ are to use in the Spirit-filled, gospel-driven pursuit of godliness, that is, closeness to Christ and conformity to Christ.
• The goal is
What is the starting line for Christian growth?
• Whitney >> No other Spiritual Discipline rivals the importance of the intake of God’s Word. No other Spiritual Discipline can compensate for the lack of it. Without feasting on the food of Scripture, no one will enjoy a growing, healthy Christlike life. A hunger for God’s Word is something we see throughout Scripture.
// Deuteronomy 8:3, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
// Job 23:12 | I have not departed from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food.
// Psalm 1 | Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. 4 The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; 6 for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
• David Mathis >> The fundamental means of God’s ongoing grace, through his Spirit, in the life of the Christian and the life of the church is God’s self-expression in his Word, in the gospel, perfectly kept for us and on display in all its textures, riches, and hues in the external written word of the Scriptures.
• Whitney >> Bible intake is not only the most important Spiritual Discipline, it is also the most broad. It actually consists of several subdisciplines: hearing, reading, and studying
Hearing
• Psalm 1:1 | Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
• Whose counsel are you listening to? What is your
// Colossians 2:8; 3:16 | See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ…Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…
// Timothy 3:16-17 | All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
// Romans 10:17 | So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
• So, how do we engage in the spiritual discipline of hearing the Word of God? It starts with a good Bible-teaching church (Nehemiah 8:2-3)
Reading
• Eventually, the disciple needs to move from hearing God’s Word to reading it on their own.
• We need the
• Martin Luther >> The Bible is alive, it speaks to me; it has feet, it runs after me; it has hands, it lays hold of me.
// Jeremiah 23:29 | Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?
// Romans 12:2 | Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
• Read the Bible intentionally. Create space and rhythms in your life to read God’s Word. Find a good reading plan and get at it.
Studying
• Whitney >> Studying >> The basic difference between Bible reading and Bible study is simply a pen and paper (or some other means of preserving your thoughts).
• Mathis >> Bible reading is like watching the film in real time. Study is like going through a clip frame by frame…There is a place in Bible reading for “raking” and gathering up the leaves at a swift pace, but when we “dig” in Bible study, we unearth the diamonds.
• Let the words of a verse build its meaning. Let the text speak for itself. We don’t find Bible verses that fit our doctrine, we let the Word of God build our doctrine.
• Study Bibles (in-hand or online like Bible Gateway, or BibleHub), commentaries, and websites like Precept Austin are great resources to study.
Is the Scripture sufficient for spiritual growth?
• Consider the true story of the Japanese village that lived completely by the Bible..
• How have you received everything you need for “life and godliness”? Consider 2 Peter 1:3-4 | His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.