The Spiritual Discipline Challenge Blog Posts
Day One - January 9
Is God Concerned with me developing godly habits?
By Pastor Phil Moser
The Bible uses the word “walk” nearly 100 times. It a great word to understand what is expected to be spiritually successful. Spiritual growth is best attained by a one-foot-in-front-of-the-other mindset. While we remember our spiritual mountaintop experiences, the only way to reach those precipices is to climb. And the climbing is best done in small steps: a tiny foothold here or an outcropping of rock there.
Paul writing to the Galatians expresses this: “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Gal. 5:16). The MacArthur Study Bible adds this insight: “The form of the Greek verb translated “walk” indicates continuous action, or a habitual lifestyle. Walking also implies progress; as a believer submits to the Spirit’s control…he grows in his spiritual life.”
God is concerned with your daily habits because they are the path forward in your relationship with him. Things like Scripture reading, prayer and Scripture memory are best done daily. These habits become the daily steps that allow you to grow in your relationship with the Lord.
Day Two - January 10
How do I get the most out of my daily bible reading?
By Pastor Phil Moser
The Bible is over 2,000 years old. Reading a work of antiquity can be challenging. Here are five steps that will prove helpful as you embark on the journey.
(1) Pray Humbly
In Psalm 119:18 we read, “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.” When we pray, we are acknowledging we need God’s help to understand his Word. The verses surrounding the Psalmist’s prayer give direction for how we ought to pray prior to time in the Word. Verse 19 says, “hide not your commandments from me.” In other words, we desire to know the meaning of the given text. Properly understanding the text is essential. Verse 17 says “that I might know and keep your word.” Prayer is preparation to not only know but also do what God reveals from our study. This humble posture is essential for meaningful Bible study. What better way to discover the author’s intent than to ask him for guidance when you open the Word?
(2) Read Consistently
One important step in reading the Bible is to do it daily. While not a large book (most Bibles are less than 1,000 pages), reading daily allows for reflection on a particular passage each day. There are numerous ways to read through the Bible. Consider one of the following:
- Read through one book of the Bible for 30 days.
- Read a key chapter of the Bible each day (you’ll find 365 key chapters here).
- Read the Bible through chronologically. The Bible was recorded using different styles of writing (history, poetry, prophecy, and letters to individuals or groups of people). The grouping of the books in the Bible is by the writing genre instead of the order of events. For the reader unaware of this fact, the Bible can seem confusing (you’ll find a chronological reading schedule here).
(3) Observe Carefully
As you read, pay attention to the details. If you’ve read a passage before, don’t assume you can no longer glean anything from it. Some of my greatest discoveries have come from rereading a passage. If you remain attentive, the more you read, the more you see.
(4) Interpret Contextually
Most of us hate being misinterpreted. If you have ever attempted to clear up a misunderstanding, you’ve probably said, “That is what I said, but it’s not what I meant.” Meaning matters in communication. To misinterpret someone’s words, you need only take them out of context. For instance, if I say, “He’s on fire!” I could be referring to a five-year old with a fever, a man running from a burning building, or an American Idol contestant advancing to the finals. The context gives the meaning.
Imagine a target with your verse as the bulls-eye. In archery, the circles closer to the bulls-eye carry greater point value; likewise, the verses closer to your verse carry greater interpretive weight.
- What do the verses before or after your verse say?
- What does the author say elsewhere about this idea?
- What does the rest of the Bible say?
5) Study Diligently
For many of us, reading and studying do not come easily. Yet, when we develop these habits around our time in the Word, it bears long-lasting rewards. Pastor Zach Schlegel reminds us to have the right heart, time, place, and plan.
- The prepared heart. Your heart should be expectant, willing to obey, teachable, and humble. Before you open the Word, pause and prepare your heart. Humility is essential.
- The right time. The right time will be the time that works best for you. When are you the most alert, focused, and fresh? I had a seminary professor who did his best studying at 3:30 AM. A friend of mind commented, “Phil, God’s not even up at that hour!” Your best time might be early in the morning or late at night. Pick the time that’s best for you and stick with it.
- The best place. The best place will be one free from distractions. Pretend you just boarded the plane and “turn off all electronic devices!”
- The committed plan. Whether or not you are a planner, you will still need to discipline yourself to study the Scriptures diligently.
Taken from Just Like Jesus: biblical strategies for growing well
How Do I Get the Most Out of My Prayer Time?
By Pastor Phil Moser
Sometimes its easy to get distracted in prayer. I have used the simple acrostic PRAY to keep me focused. Praise. Repent. Ask. Yield. These four elements are essential in making our prayer time effective.
Praise.
An essential element of prayer is praise. I like to remember to praise the who, what, and why of God. When I praise him for who he is I am reflecting upon his character and attributes. Qualities like faithfulness, mercy, holiness, and love come to mind. When I remember what he’s done I am reflecting on his works. Sometimes I’m awed by his creation. A look at Hubble Space images is a good place to start. The vastness and beauty of God’s creation are amazing. At other times I’m just as humbled by his work on my behalf in answering the simplest prayer request. I also like to remember the why. God’s purposes are unique and often hidden. But some of them he has chosen to reveal. For instance, consider this one: for God so loved the world that he gave his only son…
Repent.
Psalm 51 is a great example of repentance. David takes responsibility for his sin. No blame shifting towards Bathsheba –In fact, he doesn’t even mention her name. Repentance and responsibility have more in common than their first letter. Repentance means to make a 180-degree turn. It involves my humble confession, and dependence on his Spirit to restore me. It’s a great spot to reflect on the ways I have willfully erred in my relationship with him. Repentance includes both my actions and my attitudes (Philippians 2:5).
Ask.
Jesus told us we should ask of him. Paul gives us a great prayer list in the first chapter of Colossians. I find it helpful to pray this both for myself and for others.
…we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light (Colossians 1:9-12).
Wow! Lots to pray for there. We would do well to pray for these type of eternal matters, as well as the ones that are only temporary.
Yield.
Jesus didn’t get to the point where he could say “not my will but yours be done” overnight. And you and I won’t either. Paul captured this perfectly towards the end of 2 Corinthians. Yielding our desires (as hard as that may initially be) is an essential element of prayer.
…a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).
If you find that your thoughts are drifting during your prayer time. Try Praise. Repent. Ask. Yield. It will add to the effectiveness of your prayer time.
By Pastor Phil Moser
Prepare
If you don’t memorize it, you can’t retrieve it. God refers to the Scripture as the “sword of the Spirit.” He chose military language to remind us we’re at war. If you don’t grasp the severity of this battle, you won’t take seriously your need for memorization.
Practice
If you don’t review it, you can’t remember it.
- Say the verse 25 times the first day...
- 20 times the second day...
- 15 times the third day...
- 10 times the fourth day, and 5 times the fifth day…
- Then, review once a day for next 30 days. Then, review it once a week for a month...
- Then, review it once a month for life.
- Each week, while you continue to review your previous verses, you add a new verse to the 25, 20, 15, 10, and 5 system. If at anytime you sense a loss of memory on a given verse, review it daily for 30 days.
Perform
If you don’t apply it when you need it, you’re sure to fall. On our first Sunday of the “Spiritual Discipline Challenge” we provided you with a pack of Scripture memory cards. The cards are intended for you to develop balance to your Scripture memory practice. Read through the entire pack of cards, and pick the one you need most right now. The red cards mean “stop.” That’s how you play defense against the temptation. You hear the “lie” and you answer with the truth. The green cards mean “go.” That’s how you play offense. As you memorize verses about the character of God and the nature of the gospel you will weaken the appeal of the temptation.
The preparation and practice steps are done with this goal in mind: that when you are tempted you can instantly retrieve the best passage for the situation. Living out the verses you’re memorizing further embeds them in your memory. It keeps them accessible for when you next need them.
How Do Habits Help Me Move Forward?
By Pastor Justin Carlton
If you’ve ever tried to wake up earlier, start an exercise routine, or spend more time reading instead of watching Netflix, then you know habit-forming practices are challenging to get started. What is it that makes us so resistant to change?
For one thing, we love comfort. We crave equilibrium – the ability to coast rather than pedal hard. But the reality is that, whenever we’re coasting, we’re going downhill. On a bike, that’s a relief; spiritually, that’s the kind of pride and spiritual obliviousness that can lead to great disaster. Habits can be negative in this regard because we gravitate toward doing what feels the most comfortable. However, shaking ourselves out of one pattern by implementing some other strategic behaviors can give us the necessary boost we need to escape the ruts we’ve dug for ourselves. To be rid of bad habits, we can’t just stop doing them, we have to actively replace them with better habits.
If you’re a baseball guy, you know that when hitters are in a slump, it’s not usually some major overhaul to their game that’s the remedy: it’s usually a simple, mechanical element of their swing that needs to be addressed. Adjusted posture, stance, breathing, and follow-through can mean the difference between ground-outs and home runs. The same is true of our spiritual life: the habits we utilize to mature in our faith and walk more closely with the Lord are the small, routine things we do that make a huge difference long term.
The Apostle Paul speaks to the kind of self-control and discipline that are necessary to being faithful: “I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.” (1 Corinthians 9:26–27). The point is that we can’t be halfhearted or unmotivated in our spiritual journeys and still expect to grow, to feel close to God, or to be prepared for life’s great challenges without being committed to the critical, habit-forming work of spiritual self-discipline. Many of us want to treat our spiritual life like a no-commitments, spontaneous, “just feels right” kind of thing, neglecting the need for habitual discipline. It’s certainly great when we feel compelled and eager to read the Word and spend time with God. But to get there, and to faithfully engage in this critical exercise of trust and submission to the Lord, we have to intentionally implement habits and strategies for ourselves.
We have to pedal, not just coast.
What good habits do you need to implement to replace patterns of spiritual laziness in your life? Do they involve a change to your morning wake-up routine, your mid-afternoon break, or your winding down time in the evening? Do you need to establish some accountability with the community of faith God has graciously given you? Do you need to intentionally remove distractions from the space in which you plan to meet with God? Do you need to borrow a fresh reading strategy? The particulars might vary for each of us, but they will regardless bring us back to the Word of God, which is our source of truth, and by which we may truly grow and be equipped for the work God wants to accomplish in each of us.
By Pastor Scott Foreman
“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12
I recently studied the context of this verse in Hebrews 4, and was amazed at what I discovered. The writer was telling the Hebrews to be careful to enter the rest of Christ, unlike the Jews of Moses’ day who refused to enter the rest of the promised land. Because they refused to enter by faith, and now wanted to enter by force, Moses told them they would die by the sword (Num. 14:43-45).
The writer to the Hebrews is telling them that these New Testament Jews who refused to enter into the rest God provide that they too would be judged by the sword – not a steel one, but the living Word of God (4:12). It was able to specifically discern the real motives behind these New Testament Jews as to whether or not they truly were in the faith.
And God’s Word has the same discerning power with us. It is a source of blessing, but can also be a source of discipline. Which one will it be for you? It all depends on the state of your heart.
Weekend Thoughts on the Importance of Prayer
By Pastor Scott Foreman
One of the most neglected necessities of our prayer? It’s found in Philippians 4:6…
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
Thankfulness. It’s a command of God that our prayers and petitions be accompanied with thankfulness. We’re simply told that we should not be praying without a thankful heart.
And it is that thankful heart that can change our entire attitude about what we’re praying about!
In your prayers…be thankful!
By Pastor Scott Foreman
The Bible consistently tells us about the importance of Scripture memory (Psalm 119:11) and Scripture living (Psalm 119:9). This method of internalizing God’s Word and then using it in the circumstances of life was modeled by our Lord throughout His ministry.
What’s amazing is that the God-Man saw the internalization of God’s Word as an essential part of honoring God. Jesus believed that there was great power in the Scriptures, and thus, it was communicated in many different situations. Harold Wilmington observes several instances in the life of our Lord:
- In his temptation, he quoted from Deuteronomy, to extinguish the lies of Satan.
- In the Sermon on the Mount, he quoted from Exodus, to show what true righteousness was.
- In his sermon to his hometown and his temple cleansing, he quoted from Isaiah, to show how he was a fulfillment of prophecy, and how the temple was to be a place of prayer.
- In his confrontation with Jewish rulers, he quoted from Hosea, Genesis, Deuteronomy, and Isaiah.
- In his tribute to John the Baptist, he quoted from Malachi.
- In his triumphal entry and on the cross he quoted from the Psalms.
In each of these situations, you have the Son of God treating the Word of God authoritatively. It was to be studied, understood, internalized, and obeyed. Jesus was constantly pointing people back to God’s Word.
We too should be drawn towards the Scriptures for the basis of our lives, and we should be internalizing it as Jesus did. He knew the Scriptures so well that He was able to explain a passage of Scripture, tying it to the circumstance He was currently facing.
We too should have the practice of internalizing the Scriptures to the point where we can quote verses and think contextually about passages without having to grab a Bible. This is not so we can pat ourselves on the back, but so we can be prepared, at a moment’s notice, to weave God’s Word into a current situation.
What Are the Godly Habits You Should Develop?
By Elder Jeff Evernham
Every Christian – at least at times – struggles to maintain a daily “quiet time” to read the Bible, pray, and memorize scripture. We all know this is a good thing, so why is it so hard at times? I believe a primary reason is that we under appreciate its value.
What did Jesus consider important? “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” (Mark 1:35) “And he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.” (Luke 6:12) After the last supper, at night, “…he said to his disciples, ‘Sit here, while I go over there and pray.’” (Matthew 26:36)
Jesus’ mission was to bring salvation to people. He could only do that by talking, meeting, and preaching to them, right? Therefore any time spent praying was time away from that goal. Yet he prioritized prayer; he made time (early in the morning and alte in the evening) and made sacrifices (prayed all night) because prayer is powerful and effective – and sustaining! Praying strengthens us, sensitizes us to be more receptive to God’s Word, and draws our attention away from ourselves and towards others.
What about memorizing the Bible. How did Jesus defeat the temptation of the Devil? By quoting the Word (Matthew 4:1-11). How did he challenge the teaching of the Pharisees and answer the questions of the Sadducees? By quoting Old Testament law to them (Matthew 22:23-46). Jesus had deep knowledge of scripture, obtained by reading and studying and memorizing the Bible.
The Bible is how God speaks to us. It is the greatest authority. It should be our first priority to understand what God wants us to know, what he wants us to do, and who he wants us to be.
So, make it a daily habit to set aside time to read the Word, meditate on it, and pray. If it was a priority for Jesus, how much more should it be a priority for us!
How Can I Know What Bible Passages to Study?
Whether you’re a seasoned believer or a baby Christian, the intake of God’s Word is an important part of spiritual growth. Without the regular intake of God’s Word, we will starve. This is why Peter put such an emphasis on the importance of feeding on the pure milk of the Word (1 Peter 2:1-3).
But how do you know where to start? Based on my experience interacting with many different Christians, there is a general lack of planning when it comes to their approach to Scripture. And thus, they typically do not spend the time in the Word like they should, because they do not have a plan. As the old adage says, “With a plan, plan to fail.”
Here are a few suggestions:
- Start Simple. Often we can treat developing the habit of Bible study like we do our new exercise plans for the new year. We get ambitions, and we usually start well, but over time the discipline dies. Counter this by starting with simple, bite-sized goals. For example, instead of starting a study of the Psalms (in general), study a few of the Psalms (like 1, 2, 8, 23, and 101).
- Evaluate where you’re at in life. If you are a new Christian, then you should likely start to study a book of the Bible like John. If you’re weak in your understanding of salvation, then consider Romans or Ephesians. If you’re fuzzy about the events of the Old Testament, consider 1 Samuel or Genesis.
- Pick a passage or book that is easy to understand. Some books of the Bible are far easier to understand than others. For example, James is a basic, down-to-earth book that requires little background knowledge, whereas Hebrews communicates much deeper concepts that require a fairly good understanding of the Old Testament.
- Don’t fall into genre traps. For some, they never step outside of a particular genre in their study: they’re always in the Old Testament historical books, or they’re always in Paul’s letters. This contributes to a lop-sided understanding of Scripture. Get into the habit of moving into different areas of the Bible.
The main point is this: pick something and get going! Don’t wait for a sign from God to start studying!
What are the Ways I Can Grow in my Prayer Life?
By Pastor Phil Moser
You can read all that Jesus said on prayer in a few minutes. In twice that time, you can read all the Gospel accounts of Jesus praying. However, you will never tap the God-given resource of meaningful prayer in that amount of time. You will need to put in the hours that Jesus did as he learned to pray. Jesus’ prayer life provides an excellent example of the way we should pray. He had a specific plan, place, and purpose in prayer. These are essential if we intend to pray like him.
A Specific Plan: He Prayed Early in the Morning
Jesus prayed “early in the morning.” Perhaps your first thought of the morning is how much you have to do that day. Email is loading up on your phone before you even get out of bed. Your part-time job feels like a full-time job. Kids’ music lessons and sports schedules consume your non-work hours. You volunteer at church and meet in a small group during the week. Before long, prayer is crowded out.
Jesus refused to let prayer take second place. He wasn’t alone in this practice. Consider these Old Testament believers: Moses, Job, and Ezra. Even with full schedules, they made time for God “early in the morning.” Whatever time you choose to pray, it must be a priority. In a tightly scheduled lifestyle, if prayer is the last thing you plan on doing, chances are it won’t get done.
A Specific Place: He Departed to a Solitary Location
Jesus was looking for a solitary place. The Greek word translated “solitary” can also mean uninhabited. Jesus was not known for being aloof. He loved people, enjoyed being with them, and was at ease in groups of all sizes. Yet, when he prayed, he sought to be alone.
We would do well to follow Jesus’ practice. When we pray, we need a location where we will not be interrupted. No cell phones. No texting. No Facebook. Give your conversation with God your undivided attention.
Even when you find a quiet location, your busy mind may still make solitude a challenge. You will need to consciously labor at controlling your thoughts. At times, I have taken a notebook so that if an unfinished task comes to mind, I can simply write it down and return my attention to prayer. I have found that a prayer list or journal can also help me stay focused. Wherever your location, it’s important you’re alone.
A Specific Purpose: He Needed to Make a Decision
Jesus spent time in prayer before he made major decisions. Two occasions bear this out. In the early days of ministry, Jesus was shifting locations of service. If you’ve ever made a move, you know there’s a lot involved in that decision. Jesus had previously moved his ministry operations to Capernaum, and he was getting ready to expand his teaching circuit into the hills surrounding Galilee. To do so, he would be leaving some tremendous ministry opportunities behind. When Peter points this out, notice Jesus’ answer: “Let us go to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” How did Jesus make this decision? Three verses earlier we discover the answer. Jesus was praying “early in the morning.” It seems reasonable that Jesus discovered his next steps through prayer.
Even more important than where he would do ministry is who would lead the ministry. The fact that Jesus didn’t choose perfect people is evident in the transparency of the gospel record. Thomas doubted him. Peter denied him. Judas betrayed him. All twelve argued over who would be the greatest. Yet, prior to their selection, Jesus spent the night in prayer. Luke records, “In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles . . .”
Jesus not only prayed about this selection, but he also literally continued in prayer throughout the night without interruption. When you face a major decision, do you pray like Jesus? Do you spend more time talking to God or talking to others?
There is another truth easily missed in a cursory reading. We may assume that Jesus’ unique relationship with his Father spilled over into his prayer life, yet we don’t see the Father speaking back to Jesus during his time of prayer; we just read that Jesus prayed all night long. It’s not that the Father couldn’t audibly speak back; on three other occasions he spoke in an audible voice so Jesus could hear. Rather, the Father speaking back seems to be the exception rather than the standard.
I confess, sometimes when I’ve prayed over a decision I’ve thought I just wish God would tell me what to do. Perhaps you have, too. Not so with Jesus. He seems to have discovered his answer through the process of prayer, not because the Father gave a quick and easy answer. He labored in prayer, and so should we.
(Taken from Just Like Jesus: biblical strategies for growing well)
How Do I Make Scripture Memory a Daily Priority?
By Pastor Justin Carlton
To effectively incorporate an element of Scripture memory into your daily routine can be like the final, least urgent piece of the puzzle. I know it is in my life.
As Christians, we typically divide the personal spiritual disciplines into three separate categories (Scripture reading or “Quiet Time,” prayer, and Scripture memory), and I’d have to consistently give myself a C-average in the final department. That’s in part because, in a digital age where the actual language of the Bible is at our fingertips, it can be easy to assume we don’t really need to follow the Psalmist’s example of “hiding God’s word” in our hearts (Psa 119.11). Accessibility is as much a stumbling block as it is a blessing.
Making Scripture memory a critical and daily component of our spiritual growth requires us to focus on a few things.
One, memorizing passages of Scripture that are relevant to our own life and struggles. You may have heard Pastor Phil share the analogy of Bible passages being like weapons in your spiritual armory: unprepared Christians find themselves in moments of crisis and temptation grasping for what the Bible says about their situation, but the Holy Spirit can only shrug when He checks the heart’s arsenal and only finds John 3:16 and the Great Commission. Great verses, but not very effective for dealing with anger or lust. Temptation is real, right? Then real, life-altering faith in Jesus must be about actively training ourselves to do battle with our own temptations. We do that by identifying our areas of weakness and poring over the Scriptures that speak to those particular issues. Memorizing relevant passages instead of just random verses will provide us with the necessary weapons to do spiritual battle internally, by the Holy Spirit’s power, and therefore see the possibility of victory.
Two, memorizing passages that you are actively studying can also make daily Scripture retention a more manageable daily goal. Instead of parsing out the three spiritual disciplines (prayer AND quiet time AND memorization), we should make develop a plan to retain verses from our daily reading time. A good strategy might be to prayerfully evaluate in what areas the Holy Spirit is leading you to grow personally each month, getting some wise advice on what passages of Scripture speak to this area, and then identifying the critical verses within these passages that you’ll be reading, isolating what will be most valuable to you in the moments when you will be tempted. Praying these verses back to God and reading them on a daily or weekly basis as part of what you’re studying could make a huge difference in implementing daily Scripture memory.
Three, utilize whatever practical tools you find effective in order to develop a regular pattern. For some people, reminder apps are effective (in fact, the iPhone’s Reminders app is pretty much the only reason I ever get things done on time!). Post-it notes on the bathroom mirror, accountability checks with a spouse or reliable friend, and journaling are all different strategies that might prove effective for you. Don’t dismiss a practical tool as something that only works for somebody else until you’ve first tried it for yourself.
Whatever tools you implement, can we resolve to work on daily Scripture memory together?
Weekend Thoughts Concerning the Scriptures
By Pastor Scott Foreman
Don’t just be a hearer of the Word, be a doer of the Word.
Merely hearing the Word of God can be self-deceptive because it can dupe us into thinking that we’re actually exercising the Scriptures in our lives. We’re not – we’re simply hearing it. James says we need to take heed to do the opposite:
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” James 1:22
So, it’s really important when we have the Scriptures open before us that our goal is not just knowledge, but application.
Learning Biblical truth is good. Living Biblical truth is godly.
Weekend Thoughts on the Importance of Prayer
By Pastor Scott Foreman
“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” John 15:7
These words from Jesus are so important to consider when it comes to how we think about prayer. Jesus is saying that our answered prayer is tethered to one thing: abiding. When we’re abiding in Christ we can expect answered prayer, and when we see answered prayer, we can know that we are abiding in Christ.
Abiding in Christ is the idea of where our source of strength is coming from. When we are connected to Christ as the vine, and we remember that we are merely branches, we can be confident that we are abiding in Christ. It’s like the cord that is attached to an astronaut that is floating in space – without that cord that astronaut has no abilities in and of himself.
When we are tethered to Christ this way, His desires become our desires. What He wants is what we want. And in that scenario, we’re praying His will. When we’re praying His will, He hears us, answers us, and gives us what we’re praying for. Why? Because it is what He also wants.
In your relationship with Christ, grow in your abiding. The promised result will be answered prayer.
Is Praying Without Ceasing the Same as Constant Prayer?
By Elder Randy Greene
Nestled in a list of instructions from the Apostle Paul at the end of the first letter to the Thessalonians is an instruction to “pray without ceasing.” (verse 17). If one’s approach to the Bible were to take every verse you read in isolation you might think that God’s command via Paul is to be praying nonstop for the rest of your earthly existence. But we are not to read verses in isolation. Instead, we allow context and the whole of scripture to guide our interpretation.
In context, this instruction comes among a list of over a dozen imperative statements that round out the daily path of a Christ follower. Among the commands we are to rejoice always and give thanks in all circumstances which are certainly components of any prayer. But we are to also “admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, “[s]ee that no one repays anyone evil for evil” and “… seek to do good to one another and everyone.” Quite a list that might seem daunting to accomplish if we were in a constant state of prayer. When this verse is considered in light of all of scripture it is evident that the Christian is to be doing more than just praying all the time.
So, what does it mean to “pray without ceasing?” Certainly, prayer is a vital component of a Godly life. And we know that God invites us, and expects, us to pray daily. (“gives us this day our daily bread”). Two words that might characterize “praying without ceasing” would be “consistent” and “persistent”. If the Lord instructs us to pray for “daily” needs it would be logical to expect that we should be praying regularly; and at least daily would be a good start. And we don’t pray for a month’s worth of bread or a years; but daily bread.
So, to “pray without ceasing” looks more like daily encounters with God; rejoicing, giving thanks and dealing with the challenges of the moment.
Can I Be Victorious Without Scripture Memory?
By Pastor Phil Moser
God gave us his Word and described it as the “Sword of the Spirit.” Scripture memory and its subsequent retrieval in the face of temptation is essential for spiritual victory.
The ability of your brain to remember truths is absolutely amazing. Paul Reber, professor of psychology at Northwestern University describes its capacity this way,
The human brain consists of about one billion neurons…the brain’s memory storage capacity… is around 2.5 petabytes (or a million gigabytes). For comparison, if your brain worked like a digital video recorder in a television, 2.5 petabytes would be enough to hold three million hours of TV shows. You would have to leave the TV running continuously for more than 300 years to use up all that storage.
The truth of the matter is that you have sufficient brain capacity to memorize a lot of Scripture. So why have we not placed more Bible verses into our seemingly limitless memory?”
One word will suffice: pride. We don’t memorize because we don’t think we need to memorize. Yet God warned us that pride would lead to our sure and certain fall (1 Cor. 10:12-13).
Joseph, of Egyptian fame, teaches us that humility is a great deterrent to sin. He saw temptation and set the land speed record for leaving the bedroom (Gen. 39:12). In his humility, he knew he couldn’t stand against temptation.
On the other hand, King David teaches us that if we think we can linger at temptation’s door without sinning we are gravely mistaken (2 Sam. 11:2-3). His pride led to his lingering, his lingering left him vulnerable to sin, and his sin brought tremendous destruction to his family.
The humility principle is hidden in Jesus’ temptation account: Only the humble of heart will see the need to memorize the Scripture.
Jesus supremely modeled humility. The Bible says, “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8).
When tempted, his immediate response was to use the Scripture, further revealing his humility. Here’s a question: If the Son of God deemed it necessary to memorize the Scripture to defend himself against temptation, why would we think we’re exempt?
Satan’s clearest line of attack in temptation is directed at the pride of man. It was with Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:5), and it was with Jesus (Matt. 4:5).
To attempt a rational conversation with the tempter in the midst of temptation is a dangerous proposal. Even an archangel wouldn’t attempt it (Jude 9). Much better to simply respond with the appropriate Scripture, and the best way to gain access to the passage is through memorizing…just like Jesus.
By Pastor Scott Foreman
Habits are an important part of life. For all of us, some habits are a part of the fabric of our lives without even thinking about it, but there are other actions that we struggle with maintaining even a few times.
But when it comes to our spiritual health, habits are an important part of our journey. Though the Bible doesn’t specifically mention the important habits, it does talk about the importance of personal discipline (1 Cor. 9:27), and daily taking up our cross (Luke 9:23). We can thus deduct that being diligent and focused on growing in Christ through habits is a good thing.
Personal discipline is one thing – it’s another thing when we’re talking about the personal disciplines of someone else. Let’s discuss a couple of key family relationships as it relates to encouraging daily discipline:
Our Children. When our kids are little, we encourage them to develop good habits relating to teeth brushing, cleanliness, and friendliness. But what about godly habits? Even when young, and even before professions of faith, we can be encouraging their focus towards the Lord in a regular way. The Bible speaks of impressing these things upon our children (Dt. 6:4-9). Helping them develop a daily quiet time, teaching them how to pray, and being regular in church activities are all very important. For many children, these things can begin as young as 2 years old. Importantly, the longer we wait in implementing these disciplines with our children, the harder it will be to implement.
Our Spouse. Sometimes we want a spouse to adopt a habit so bad that utilize ungodly means in trying to achieve our godly wishes. We can resort to manipulation, nagging, and bargaining. However, we cannot be the ones to change a human heart – that has to be a work of the Lord. We can encourage and set good examples, but with our spouses, a change in behavior that is going to be lasting has to be a result of what God has worked in their hearts. Therefore, we can speak kind, encouraging words to our spouses, pray for them, and show them through our examples how to live out the disciplines we’re hoping they adopt.
Disciplines are important, and we can encourage those in our spheres of influence to embrace them, but ultimately the most worthwhile spiritual disciplines have to be the work of the Lord. Let us be diligent to pray, setting good examples, encouraging, and leaving the rest to the Lord.
Is Reading Through the Bible the Best Approach to Bible Study?
By Pastor Scott Foreman
Reading through the Bible can be one of the greatest spiritual adventures for the child of God. When faithfully done, it can provide a total picture of the narratives of the Bible, theological systems, and the message of the Savior. But for someone to accomplish this undertaking in one-year, it requires reading about three chapters a day. At that pace, it can be difficult to go deep in your understanding of what’s happening in and around the text.
What’s interesting to me is how many believers tell me that rapidly reading through the Bible (at the three-chapter pace) is their sole tool for Bible study. Year after year, the plan is to read through the Bible (and tragically, for some of these same believers I have spoken to, they rarely make it through the first 5 books of the Bible). The read through the Bible approach never really allows the student of the Bible to pause, absorb, and meditate on the depth of the Scriptures.
This is not to say that it’s wrong to read through the Bible consistently – but there should also be the process of taking the time to mine the depths of God’s Word for all it’s worth.
If reading through the Bible is an important discipline for you, but you never really take the time to slow down and thoroughly study a book of the Bible, I would suggest a different approach. Instead of reading three chapters a day, why not decrease it to one chapter a day, and pick a book of the Bible to study intently, verse by verse?
With that approach, you still get an overview of the Scripture with the chapter-by-chapter approach, but you also get to deeply understand a book of the Bible, allowing it to deeply infiltrate your soul.
Maybe this is the year to switch up your approach, and allow the Lord to use His Word to transform you like never before?
What Does My Lack of Prayer Life Reveal About Me?
By Pastor Justin Carlton
One of the men I most admire in the Scriptures is Samuel, the final Judge of Israel and the prophet who anointed David as king. The thing that has always grabbed me as I read the account of his life is how often Samuel is recorded having conversations with the Lord. The overarching theme of his narrative is that he “has God’s ear” (1 Sam 8.21), and that God speaks to Him as frequently as any two men might converse (see 1 Sam 7.5, 8-9; 8.6-9, 21; 9.15, 17; 12.16-18; 15.10-11; 16.1-3, 7). This also establishes a pattern for David to follow, as he will repeatedly “inquire of the Lord” (1 Sam 23.2, 4; 30.8; 2 Sam 2.1; 5.19, 23). What if we approached God in the same manner?
Lack of a prayer life reveals two things about me.
One, I’m self-reliant. Prayer is not primarily a means of asking God for the things I need. It is a means of surrender – submitting my heart and will to God, who shapes me through my willingness to yield. If I’m not praying, I’m not submitting to God, which means I’m living at best on autopilot, or – at worst – in defiance of God’s sovereignty. I’m confident I can fix things on my own. I don’t assume I have it all together, but I might assume I’m at least a little better than my friends and co-workers. This is, by definition, what the wisdom literature in the Scriptures warns us not to do: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3.5). Lack of prayer ultimately says I don’t trust God; rather, I trust myself… or my luck.
Two, I’m focused too much on the temporary. I’m too busy to pray. I’m not really interested in how God might be trying to deepen my faith. Instead, I’m only interested in what’s immediately in front of me and how I can control it to meet my current needs. I’m invested in the kingdom I’m building in this life, not the eternal Kingdom God is building, which will supersede all my wood, hay, and stubble regardless. Ironically, this way of living often leads to deepening anxiety. If we find ourselves in this place, then we’re presented with a choice: continue to try to control what we can’t – continue to place all the emphasis in our lives on careers, bank accounts, reputations, and personal comforts – or turn to God in desperation, to seek and receive what is infinitely better.
Samuel’s pattern of prayer reveals his deep dependence on the Lord, his confidence in God’s good and sovereign plan, and his willingness to humbly acknowledge his own neediness. Let’s follow his example of open and consistent communication with our present and available Heavenly Father.
How Do I Know if I Am Starving Spiritually?
By Pastor Scott Foreman
If you were starving physically, you’d feel it and see it. But how do I know if I am starving spiritually?
There would definitely be signs. Here may be a few of them:
You are relying on other people to feed you (Matthew. 4:4). You rely exclusively on someone giving you the Word, whether the weekly sermon or daily thought from a Bible app.
You are not getting revitalized by the words of Jesus (John 6:63). You are not motivated and driven when you read the words of Scripture, even if that means deep conviction.
You don’t crave the Scriptures (1 Peter 2:2). You’d rather binge watch the newest series than start studying a new book of the Bible.
You are not growing in your understanding of deeper truths (1 Corinthians 3:2). There are some truths that are simple, others that require more study.
You are not delighting in your study of the Word (Psalm 119:103). God’s truth given to us is a delight to discover, not a laborious exercise.
You find yourself drifting in what you believe about God and His Word (Psalm 1:1-3). The Bible says when we delight in the Lord and His word we are planted.
You are not boldly, through prayer, coming to the throne of grace confidently (Hebrews 4:16).Your prayer life is sporadic and cumbersome.
You rarely share Christ, and you’re likely embarrassed to do so (Romans 1:16). The gospel is not a source of embarrassment, it’s the power of God.
You rarely think about God during the week. (Matthew 22:37). You do not really love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.
I have seen many of these things in my own life at different times in my life. I don’t want to be starving spiritually – I want to be fully nourished and flourishing in my walk with Christ.
Noticing these indicators in your life? Here’s some possible solutions:
- Humble your heart, and recognize you don’t have it all together (but true humility would begin to do something about that).
- Begin to cultivate your walk with God through daily disciplines in prayer, Bible study, and Scripture memory.
- Have spiritual depth in your relationships with other people, where you can discuss openly victories and struggles.
- Have regular worship with God where you meditate on His grace and forgiveness in your own life. Bask in His incredible love for you.
Don’t delay. Spiritual starvation results in a whole host of problems in your life.
Never had a spiritual appetite? Read here to see what could be causing that.
By Pastor Scott Foreman
“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Romans 12:12
Sometimes when we don’t feel like God is answering our prayers, we mistakenly believe that God is ignoring us. This, my friends, is not possible. God will not ignore His children.
However, He will answer us in a way that honors Him and allows Him to achieve His perfect will. That could mean He answers your prayer in a completely different way than you would anticipate. It could mean the people, circumstances and timing are all different than what you would envision.
But that’s the nature of God. He’s not human like us. He’s not bound by space, time or matter. He transcends all the barriers that inhibit us. I’m sure we will be blown away one day in eternity, when we have perfect understanding, of how the Lord acted on things we prayed about.
So, be faithful with your prayer. Even when you don’t believe God is working, He is. In His time, in His way, with His methods. Trust Him.
I've Never Studied a Book of the Bible...Where Do I Start?
By Pastor Scott Foreman
For some Christians, studying a book of the Bible can be an intimidating prospect. Do I study it like I studied books in high school? Do I have to take a particular approach? These are good questions, but instead of allowing questions to paralyze you, instead, get going with a simple approach that can make studying a book of the Bible simple and deeply rewarding.
Why not, for a season of your life, take the time to study one book of the Bible? Pick a book that is about 4-6 chapters in length, and take the time to understand that book. To know it inside and out. To get to the point where you know the major themes, understand its importance to the whole Bible, have allowed its truths to soak into your life, and where you can visualize the text in your head. That level of understanding. Doesn’t that sound enticing? Here’s a way you can do it:
- Read the book repeatedly before you begin to study it. A book that is 4-6 chapters in length could be read easily 20-30 times before you begin to study it. Why? Because it allows you to see the totality of the text and themes that are running through it before you start in chapter 1. That way you can identify similarities in the text even from the beginning of your study.
- Give the book a subtitle. After you’ve read it many times, give the book a subtitle based on what you believe the overall theme of the book is.
- Chapter titles and section titles. After you’ve given the book a subtitle, assign a chapter title to each chapter, and section titles to each section within the chapter.
- Go verse by verse. Now that you have a book title, chapter titles, and section titles, go verse by verse and write what you believe the main thought of each verse is saying. Focus on what the text is saying, along with some application.
When you have completed that for the first section, compare that with what you wrote for the section title. Does the section title still fit? If not, make a change. Do that for every verse in the chapter. Do your revised section titles require an adjustment in your chapter titles? If so, make a change. Do this for the whole book. Now look at your revised chapter titles and see if you need to adjust the book subtitle.
Once this is done, you have an entire book of the Bible studied and key thoughts written out. You could even lead a group in what you have studied. I’m sure you will find this process greatly rewarding. One book down, 65 to go!
The Long and Short of Nehemiah's Non-Stop Prayer
By Elder Paul Stone
The Old Testament patriarch, Nehemiah, sets a great example for us in how we should think about prayer.
In chapter Nehemiah 1, Nehemiah is confronted with some bad news:
"Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and it's gates have been burned with fire" (1:3)
Nehemiah's primary response is to ask God for help. One of the most amazing prayers in the Bible can be found in 1:4-11. Here, Nehemiah articulately praises God, confesses sin, expresses humility, reminds God of His promises and asks for help. It is after this prayer that Nehemiah acts (Nehemiah 2).
The next time Nehemiah at work (he's the cupbearer for King Artaxerxes), the king notices he looks sad, and asks him what's wrong. Nehemiah respectfully explains the situation in Jerusalem and the king asks, "What is it you want?" This looked like Nehemiah’s big opportunity, and the king’s question seems to be an answer to his prayer.
Nehemiah could have pushed forward on his own, but instead he goes back to God. Nehemiah 2:4-5 may reveal the shortest prayer in the Bible:
"The king said to me, "What is it you want?" Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king".
Nehemiah was praying in between breaths and so can you. And that reminds us of one of the shortest verses in the Bible found in I Thess. 5:17 "Pray without ceasing.”
Nehemiah reminds us that in our most desperate moments, the shortest, heart-felt prayers can have a great impact on our outcomes. Don’t feel like your prayer will only be effective if it follows a script or a narrative. God listens to even our incredibly short, and desperate, cries for help.
What Is the Difference Between Scripture Memory and Retrieval?
By Pastor Phil Moser
I like the term Scripture Retrieval because it gives purpose to the importance of memorizing the Scripture. Whether we’re trying to battle temptation or overcome discouragement, the best successes come when we have instant access to the Scripture. Trying to find a verse in your concordance will never be fast enough when the temptation to sin is awakening your desires. Googling a verse won’t work when you’re too discouraged to even ask Alexa to look up Bible verses on hope. But if we’ve memorized the passages, the Holy Spirit throws open the doors on your armory and brings those verses to your memory.
Such access requires a diligent effort in your memorization of the Scriptures. You need to get so comfortable with memorized verses that their retrieval becomes instinctive. Whatever your craft or hobby, muscle memory matters. The hack golfer will find his game improves if he practices, as well as the middle-school violinist as she puts in the hours. Both are developing muscle-memory. Whether that memory is in their fingertips or their entire torso, each one’s body is responding instinctively to what their mind is telling them to do. This is why we call it Scripture memory; you’re practicing the verse so that when you need it you can retrieve it. The Holy Spirit works in conjunction with your spirit, but he will only recall the passages you have diligently memorized. He will hand you the swords in your battle, but you must do your best to keep them sharp.
I've Missed Days - How Do I Resume With My Habit
By Elder John Glessner
We all feel disappointment at times with ourselves. Even in things that seem so basic and obvious, we can find ourselves falling short in our goals. Sometimes maintaining goals can just feel overwhelming.
And when you set a goal in your quiet times, and find yourself struggling by missing days, remember you are imperfect. Our perfect God is still at work changing us. Isn't it refreshing to know that our God graciously loves us to meet us daily where we are, care for us, and comfort us?
If you're struggling, start back up today and you will build momentum. Set an alarm as a reminder, put an appointment on your calendar. Guard your time with Christ.
Persevere through your feelings of disappointment. Confess your sins, distractions, misplaced devotion. Be gracious to yourself. Our God is. The Holy Spirit is at work in you, allow him to direct your quiet time. Change it up. Take a walk and pray, start/finish with worship. Jot down a few of the blessings you see today and thank God for them. If you get distracted as you read, try listening to the Word on the Bible app.
Know that He loves time with you. God's mercy is new every morning. He is eager to further develop you into the child of God he intends you to be.
Be encouraged, the discipline of spending time with him daily will develop your spiritual character.
What Tools Do I Need to Effectively Study the Bible?
By Pastor Justin Carlton
When you were a teenager, did you ever leave your Bible at church after youth group? Did you later find it again in the pile of spare Bibles when the youth leader asked students to read verses out loud? As FBC’s youth pastor, I find lots of nice Bibles left after Thursday night meetings, and I can only hope that a name or some “Merry Christmas, 2014” inscription is in there so that I can track down the owner. To me, the most alarming part of that process is when a sheepish student comes looking for his or her Bible weeks later and says something like, “I didn’t realize it was missing!”
Now, granted, many of my students may be reading their Bible on their phones all along. But I don’t know that a mature Christian can have such a lackadaisical approach to, or respect for, the Word. Even though it’s not the specific Crossway, hard-backed copy of the Scriptures that is ultimately sacred, your reverence for your personal connection to God’s Word says a lot about how much you value your ability to hear directly from God.
In the paragraphs below, I want to suggest a few “tools” for effective Bible study. However, my definition of “tools” is a little broader than just what type of study Bible, journal, and pen to use. I’ll mention some practical tools in this post, but I’ll address them last, because they are – frankly – the least essential things you need to develop an effective Bible study. Often when a Christian is struggling to develop consistency in their spiritual disciplines, he or she will assume the solution lies in starting a fresh journal or finding a new podcast. But if we really believe the Word itself is “living and active” (Heb 4.12) and that all Scripture is effective for “teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3.16-17), then our issues of depending on this efficacious, soul-nourishing, and life-guiding text are heart issues, not tool issues. Don’t fall into the trap of assuming a practical study tool is the solution to your struggle in this area.
The first tool you need is undistracted time. This time can float, but it should be time you set aside and protect, regardless of what the day looks like. Guys, we know that Monday Night Football starts at 8:00, and that time doesn’t move, and we’re getting ready for the game to start no matter what. Our Quiet Time should have the same degree of inflexible scheduling, and we should anticipate it the same way we know exactly what time to start the nachos before kickoff. This time should also be your BEST time, not your leftover time. Bible study is only as effective as our level of engagement. Certainly, the Holy Spirit can still invade and permeate the few verses we might rush through before scrambling to get out the door to work. But it should be our goal to remove as many obstacles to engagement and growth as we are able.
Second, you need to engage God in His Word via prayer. That’s because Bible study is not primarily an intellectual exercise in dates, facts, and concepts. It’s a heart exercise in submitting my will and perspectives to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. Without prayer, I’m merely contemplating ideas versus being spiritually, mentally, and emotionally transformed as God intends. I’m encountering the God of the universe Who chooses to reveal Himself to me through the medium of His written Word. I’m not merely thinking about words on a page. We should engage our time of Bible study humbly, personally, subjecting our minds AND our hearts to the guidance of the Holy Spirit as we read.
Finally, the depth of your study can certainly benefit from using practical tools like study Bibles, journals for note-taking, and reading plans. If you have a significant commute to work, podcasts and audio Bible formats can be helpful tools for mentally preparing you for the challenges of the day. You absolutely need a reliable physical copy of the scriptures – a Bible that can begin to feel familiar in your hands, fall open to the passages you have read multiple times, and bear underlines, highlights, and notes in the margins – the marks of your learning process. If you read your Bible on a tablet, be sure your notes and scribbles are cloud-synced so they aren’t lost if the device dies! To reiterate, the Word of God is eternal and greater than just the medium that communicates it. But having a dependable copy of the Bible in a place where you know it will be can help ensure a more regular time in God’s Word – where you won’t be able to go days or weeks at a time without realizing your Bible is missing.
Which of these tools do you need to implement in order to strive for a more effective time studying God’s Word?
A True Sign of the Reality of My Relationship with Christ
By Pastor Scott Foreman
“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32
A true sign of the reality of your relationship with Christ? You hold fast to the teachings of Christ. This is not about perfection but direction. Does the direction of your life 100% point to the fact that you follow the Word and what it says about Jesus?
Many people in society follow the teachings of Christ, but they’re not Christ followers. You can be a good moral person, doing the things Jesus said to do, but you’re not truly following the Savior.
What about you? Can you look at the pattern of your life and say you follow the teachings of Jesus and you’re a genuine Christ follower?
What Great Men and Women of God Said About Prayer
By Pastor Scott Foreman
There’s a lot to be said about the important of prayer. So today, I thought it would benefit us if we could hear from what some other great men and women of God said about prayer. Listen to what they say, and allow God to work these truths of prayer into your heart:
I would rather teach one man to pray than ten men to preach. — Charles Spurgeon
The man who mobilizes the Christian church to pray will make the greatest contribution to world evangelization in history. — Andrew Murray
We have to pray with our eyes on God, not on the difficulties. — Oswald Chambers
He who runs from God in the morning will scarcely find Him the rest of the day. — John Bunyan
Prayer is not learned in a classroom but in the closet. — E. M. Bounds
We must begin to believe that God, in the mystery of prayer, has entrusted us with a force that can move the Heavenly world, and can bring it's power down to earth. — Andrew Murray
Relying on God has to begin all over again every day as if nothing had yet been done. — C.S. Lewis
The more you pray, the less you'll panic. The more you worship, the less you worry. You'll feel more patient and less pressured. — Rick Warren
Prayer does not fit us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work. — Oswald Chambers
Prayer lays hold of God's plan and becomes the link between his will and its accomplishment on earth. Amazing things happen, and we are given the privilege of being the channels of the Holy Spirit's prayer. — Elisabeth Elliot
Any concern too small to be turned into a prayer is too small to be made into a burden. — Corrie Ten Boom
Work as if you were to live a hundred years, pray as if you were to die tomorrow. — Benjamin Franklin
Prayer must carry on our work as much as preaching; he preacheth not heartily to his people that will not pray for them. — Richard Baxter
Groanings which cannot be uttered are often prayers which cannot be refused. — Spurgeon
Nothing tends more to cement the hearts of Christians than praying together. Never do they love one another so well as when they witness the outpouring of each other's hearts in prayer. — Charles Finney
The amount of time we spend with Jesus — meditating on his Word and his majesty, seeking his face — establishes our fruitfulness in the kingdom. — Charles Stanley
God shapes the world by prayer. The more praying there is in the world the better the world will be, the mightier the forces against evil. — E.M. Bounds
It is possible to move men, through God, by prayer alone. — Hudson Taylor
There has never been a spiritual awakening in any country or locality that did not begin in united prayer. — D.A.T. Pierson
Worship and intercession must go together; the one is impossible without the other. Intercession means that we rouse ourselves up to get the mind of Christ about the one for whom we pray. — Oswald Chambers
Work, work, from morning until late at night. In fact, I have so much to do that I shall have to spend the first three hours in prayer. — Martin Luther
To get nations back on their feet, we must first get down on our knees. —Billy Graham
Prayer is the exercise of drawing on the grace of God. — Oswald Chambers
God never gives us discernment in order that we may criticize, but that we may intercede. — Oswald Chambers
To desire revival... and at the same time to neglect (personal) prayer and devotion is to wish one way and walk another. — A.W. Tozer
How Does Accountability Help Me Develop Habits?
By Elder Mark Gilmour
Accountability to another Christian who you can trust is important in our maturation process, whether it’s developing habits or growing in our faith. When we try to go it alone, we make our selves vulnerable to failure because it’s not the way God has designed us. He tells us in his Hebrews 10:24-25 that we need to “spur one another on towards love and good works” and “we should not neglect meeting together…but to encourage one another”. Proverbs 27:17 tells us that “iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another” …we need to be sharpening one another by holding each other accountable.
We must develop a relationship that allows for transparency because we are all sinners, we all battle temptation. We need to remember several things about temptation, 1 Cor 10:13 says that “no temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful and will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”
When David fell into sin with Bathsheba, he was alone on the rooftop when the temptation to sin came. If he had been accountable to someone, he may have been able to avoid such a catastrophic sin. We need to remember that our battle is not against flesh and blood but against the powers of darkness (Eph 6:10-18) and we need to use all the resources that God provides, and an accountability partner is one of many resources He provides. James implies accountability when he says, “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16)
We must remember that when we sin, we must confess it to God. 1 John 1:9 tells us “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness”
We should all have someone in our lives who we can confide in from a spiritual perspective and someone we can be challenged by and who we can challenge.
How Do I Make the Scriptures a Part of our Family Dynamic?
By Pastor Justin Carlton
As a rule of thumb, we should expect spiritual disciplines take effort to incorporate. Discipline = effort. We have to deal with limited time, distractions, and our own flesh rebelling against the Spirit-work we are trying to establish. Incorporating Scripture study and memorization into our family dynamics means multiplying all those areas of resistance by the number of people you are trying to reach! If we expect there to be resistance from our kids or even our spouse over an intentional attempt to turn our attentions to what God might be trying to accomplish in our home, then we won’t be surprised and throw up our hands in defeat before we even get started.
Here are some simple dos and don’ts for bringing your personal disciplines into the realm of family life.
Dos:
- Be intentional and communicative – don’t assume your spouse or kids will get why spiritual disciplines are important all of a sudden; humbly tell them it’s something that has been neglected but that is critical for your growth as a family unit. Invite them to keep you accountable as you seek to help them jump in as well.
- Have a plan – don’t wing it; the only way to make such a discipline stick is to be consistent. Our lives are so chaotic, maybe this family time centered on God’s Word could be the one anchor that brings all of you together consistently. Maybe you want to do Saturday morning breakfasts over the Word, or maybe you want to do a family devotional time before bed. Maybe you start a family group text to share verses that were meaningful from what you each individually read that morning. Whatever the plan is, establish it – and certainly adapt it if it’s not working! – but don’t just figure it out on the fly.
- Make it an invitation, not a mandate – I know I get frustrated when my family doesn’t “catch the vision,” or embrace what’s important to me. You can’t force your spouse or your kids to get on board. However, you can invite them to come along for the journey with you. How can you temper your communication to them so that this important change doesn’t come as an ultimatum?
Don’ts:
- Don’t shoot for daily – If you’re not currently doing anything as a family but want to make a change, shoot for having two conversations a week after dinner to start. Nothing short-circuits a plan like shooting for the moon and becoming discouraged when you miss. Twice a week can then turn into three times, and so forth.
- Don’t assume it’s up to you to affect eternal change in your family – You are merely a vessel creating a space in which the Holy Spirit can work, so leave room for Him to operate. As parents, we do well when we remember that it’s not up to us to save our kids. That’s a messianic role we could never hope to fill. As the old adage says, “You can lead a horse to water but can’t make it drink.” It’s up to us to bring our families to the streams, and there show them just how much we personally depend on that water for life.
- Don’t assume you have to have deep insights to share or a lesson prepared – Make the time more about asking questions of the Word, making observations, and sharing insights that God is speaking to you together. Make it a space about asking questions that you can wrestle with together instead of trying to have all the answers ahead of time.
By Pastor Scott Foreman
Many months ago, I started to compile the prayers of Paul. There are some amazing depths here – not just because it’s from a man who was incredibly close to God and had spent time with Jesus personally, but these prayers were guided and inspired by the Holy Spirit.
As we study these prayers of Paul, we can learn how to better refine our prayer, and begin to pray more aligned with the heart of the Lord.
Here are all the passages:
WHAT PAUL PRAYED FOR
Colossians 1:9-12, 9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, 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; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.
Ephesians: 3:14-21 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. 20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
Philippians: 1:9 “And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”
1 Thessalonians 3:9-10 9 For what thanks can we render to God for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice before our God on your account, 10 as we night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face, and may complete what is lacking in your faith?
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 11 To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philemon 6 and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ’s sake.
WHAT PAUL ASKED FOR PRAYER FOR
Ephesians 6:18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,
19 and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,
Colossians 4:2 Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving;
3 praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; 4 that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak.
2 Thessalonians 3:1,2 1 Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you; 2 and that we will be rescued from perverse and evil men; for not all have faith.
Romans 15:30-32 Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, that I may be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the saints; so that I may come to you in joy by the will of God and find refreshing rest in your company.
Think through these prayers of Paul: what stands out to you? How could you incorporate what he prayed for into your own prayer life?
Lessons Learned from the Psalm Lady
By Pastor Phil Moser
The book of Psalms has 150 chapters, 2,461 verses, and 30,147 words. It remains the most widely read book in the Bible. It’s a big book with a lot to say about who God is. It is unique in that its prayers cover nearly every emotion you might experience. Frustration. Anxiety. Joy. Thanksgiving. Forgiveness. Disappointment. Praise. In other words, if you want to know what’s acceptable “to feel” about a certain situation then the Psalms is where you should turn.
A few years ago, I was away speaking at a conference, and I highlighted the importance of memorizing the Scriptures in one of my talks. Afterwards, 90ish-year-old lady sought me out, and told me that she had spent her life memorizing the Psalms. I casually asked her how many she had left. “One,” she matter-of-factly replied, “and I’m working on Psalm 119 now.” As she turned and walked away, I couldn’t help but wonder how my life would have been different if I had followed her path. I would have a massive library in my head, from which I could pull when I wanted to know how to respond in any given situation. I would have known God better. For, no book of the Bible describes God so intimately as the Psalms. I would have been able to help others more sympathetically as the Psalms deal with the fear and suffering of real people. I would have been more prepared to worship God in any circumstance as the Psalms comprise the Jewish hymnbook.
But the Psalms-lady also left me with another thought. As I was growing older, I found it harder to memorize Scripture and more often than I cared to admit I’d simply blame my failure in this spiritual discipline on my age. Yet, here she was at 90-plus still doing what she had always done—hiding Scripture in her heart in her pursuit to discover God more fully.
Making Habits Stick Well Beyond 40 Days
By Elder Mark Gilmour
We’ve often heard it said that if we can repeat something for 21 days, or 40 days, or 66 days that it becomes a habit. This is probably true but when it comes developing spiritual discipline, we want it to be much more than just a habit. We want it to become a way of life. We want our Bible reading, Bible study, prayer, and scripture memory to become habitual but we don’t want to just go through the motions because it’s a habit.
As Pastor Phil was teaching through the book of Daniel, he pointed out that Daniel (Dan 6:10-11) was so committed to praying that he opened his window facing Jerusalem to pray three times a day that even when he knew that it could threaten his life, he did it anyway. That is much more than just a habit. Daniel was committed to praying to God no matter what the consequences. (Read the rest of Daniel 6 to see the outcome).
I would suggest that we develop these habits of spiritual discipline as a commitment to the Lord. Psalm 37:5 says, “Commit your way to the Lord, trust in him, and he will act.” As we make this commitment to the Lord, he will help us develop these disciplines so that we will grow in our faith.
Why are these spiritual disciplines important? Because the Bible tells us so.
- Bible reading – “your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” Psalm 119:105 (also read Heb 4:12)
- Bible study – “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” Joshua 1:8
- Prayer – “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thess 5:16
- Scripture memory – “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:11
Commit yourself in your relationship with Jesus.
By Pastor Scott Foreman
The Sadducees (in Matthew 22) brought to Jesus a question that they were sure was going to be his theological nail in the coffin:
23 That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. 24 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for him. 25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother. 26 The same thing happened to the second and third brother, right on down to the seventh. 27 Finally, the woman died. 28 Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?”
The Sadducees came to Jesus with a two-fold problem that Jesus exposed:
29 Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.
They didn’t know the Scriptures, and they didn’t believe in the power of God. But these men were well trained in the Scriptures. They did know about the Bible, but the Bible had likely taken a back seat to their traditions. Their pre-conceived ideas prevented them from accurately interpreting the Word of Truth. They brought baggage from different areas of life into their interpretation. That got them into theological trouble.
And because of that, they didn’t have a correct view of the Scriptures, nor the power of God (because they didn’t believe God would rise people from the dead).
We can be guilty of this! We can bring our own preconceived notions of Bible interpretation into our study of the Bible. We can mitigate this effect by making sure we stay in the fellowship of other believers, that we’re cross-referencing our beliefs with reputable gospel-based Bible-teachers, and we can make sure we have humble, teachable hearts.
The Greatest Thing Moses Asked God For
By Pastor Scott Foreman
In communicating with God, one of the most important things Moses sought after (in Exodus 33) provides a great lesson for us today:
15 Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” 17 And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.” 18 Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”
What was the great thing Moses answer the Lord for? To see his glory.
This is akin to being near Him, seeing Him, experiencing Him.
In a western ‘Christian’ culture where some preachers emphasize ‘stuff’ over the Savior, this is a refreshing reminder for us. Greater than anything we could ever receive is the presence of God with us. To know him more, to grow closer to Him, to have a deeper relationship with Him.
When that is our passion, all the other things we could have in this life suddenly lose their value and importance.
Is the greatest desire of your life to know God?
How Scripture Memory Prepares Us to Defend Our Faith
By Pastor Phil Moser
Belief.net offers seven reasons Christians don’t share their faith with others
- Fear
- Not feeling knowledgeable enough
- Worrying about political correctness
- Don’t know how
- Spiritual laziness
- No evangelism training
- Worldly influence
Consider one simple truth: a consistent pattern of memorizing Scripture would help you overcome every one of the seven reasons for not sharing the hope that is within you.
Memorizing Scripture helps you overcome fear and become more knowledgeable. Consider 1 Peter 3:15-16 “Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.”
Memorizing Scripture gives you courage to face what may be deemed as political incorrectness. Consider Hebrews 13:5-6 “…for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So, we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’”
Memorizing Scripture is the first step to “knowing how” to share your faith. It’s key to your “evangelism training.” Look at these verses in Romans and you can guide someone to a faith decision in Christ. Romans 3:23; 6:23; 5:10; 10:8-9.
Memorizing Scripture helps you overcome spiritual laziness and overcome worldly thinking. Consider Romans 12:1-2 12. “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 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.”
By Pastor Scott Foreman
You’re on day 37 of the Spiritual Discipline Challenge! Congratulations for making it this far!
But can I share with you a little secret? We as Elders are praying that this isn’t just a 40-day challenge for you, but something that you will now begin to do as a regular part of your life.
Some people say it can take 40 days to begin a new habit. So, by this Friday, if you followed the routine of the 40-day challenge every day, you will have completed 40 straight days of prayer, Bible study, and Scripture memory. That is an amazing accomplishment. And hopefully, this has encouraged your heart and planted new seeds in your life that have started to sprout.
What will be your plan once these 40 days are over? Will you continue with the new patterns you have started? We pray you will. Here are a few suggestions for making it past these 40 days:
- Have a good study, memorization, and prayer plan in place following Friday.
- Have some accountability ready.
- Pre-plan your time in the day and location to continue with your disciplines.
If we can help you in any way on your journey, please let us know.
Developing a Life-Long Plan for Studying the Bible
By Pastor Phil Moser
We have nearly completed our 40-day journey, but there is so much more! Here are seven simple ways to enjoy the studying of your Bible for a lifetime.
READ YOUR BIBLE
Read different translations. Occasionally read or study in a translation you’ve not used before. You’ll hear the Word differently, and you’ll notice nuances you may not have seen before.
Read through different challenges. A friend of mine told me that when his wife had terminal cancer the Scriptures were on fire. Maintaining your Bible study during the valleys of your life will allow you to see and learn things for a lifetime.
Read in different geographical locations. When you’re on vacation, don’t take a vacation from studying your Bible. Disruptions to your schedule can disrupt your habit of Bible reading. But some of my sweetest times of Bible reading, have taken place on a hike. Or at my favorite vacation destination. Let the Word of God speak to you wherever you might be.
RECORD WHAT YOU’RE LEARNING
Record how God spoke to you. One of the benefits of journaling is that you put into writing how God was speaking to you through your reading. Once you’ve completed 13 weeks in your Kairos Journal, order another one. Or pick up an empty journal and continue the process on your own. Keep a record of how God has spoken to you.
Review how God has spoken to you. A secondary benefit to journaling is that you can go back weeks or months later and review how God was speaking to you during your best times and most difficult times. This further embeds your learning.
Mark your Bible where God speaks. I have a friend who writes dates in the margin of their Bible when and where God has spoken to them during their reading. I highlight verses of discovery. I highlight in green when it is something I need to do or believe. I highlight in red when its something I need to stop or avoid. I highlight in purple (color of majesty) when it’s a truth about God I want to remember. A well-marked Bible is a great way to remember for a lifetime.
Change your life when God speaks. Remembering is always easier when you’re practicing what you’ve discovered. The best way to develop a life-long Bible study is grow more dependent on the Word as the means to your life changes.
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him (Colossians 3:16-17)
Having a Prayer Plan that Lasts
I’ve said it previously, but prayer is not primarily about asking God for things. Prayer is open conversation with the God who hears. The psalmist declares, “I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my words” (Psalm 17.6). We need to simply talk to God – honestly, regularly (“without ceasing” – 1 Thessalonians 5.17), purposefully. We need to find multiple windows of time each day to practice surrender and stillness before God. Prayer is about listening to God, not merely coming to Him with our needs, because He knows them already.
If you, like me, find yourself struggling to be consistent in prayer, we might together ask ourselves some important questions:
- What tends to invade my thinking when I’m praying? How can I incorporate those things into my prayers, or relegate them to my to-do list to ponder later?
- What types of things should I be praying for regularly?
- What are the biggest obstacles right now to my time with God?
- What other things in my life are demanding my focus? How am I surrendering those to the Lord?
- Do I genuinely believe that God inclines His ear to hear me? Do I truly believe that prayer is the only sane response to life circumstances that are entirely out of my control?
- What is becoming more important to me than talking to my Heavenly Father?
- How is reluctance to pray an indicator of my pride and self-reliance? How can I strive to humble myself before the God Who is truly in control?
- Am I spending more time focusing on my laundry list of wants and needs in prayer, or am I praying according to God’s will?
- How do the Scriptures factor into my prayer? Am I allowing God’s own Word to guide my conversation with Him? How is the language of the Bible permeating my prayer life?
- What sins am I harboring rather than confessing? How am I allowing myself to find more comfort in worldly things than in the good – albeit hard! – counsel of my Father?
- Have I fallen into the trap of believing that prayer’s power and efficacy lie in my level of faith/belief?
- Is my exercise of prayer merely another morning check box, akin to brushing my teeth, rather than a welcome breath of fresh air?
- Where have I confused God’s promises with my personal desires? What do I expect God to give that He isn’t giving, and has that caused me to doubt His sovereign provision?
What other questions come to mind? May the Spirit of God use these thoughts to reveal where our personal struggle lies and help us develop more consistent prayer plans.
See Where You've Come From in the Last 40 Days?
By Pastor Phil Moser
See where you’ve come from in the last 40 days.
The number 40 is used in the Bible 146 times. Moses lived in Egypt 40 years. Then, he lived in the desert 40 years. On two separate occasions, he was on Mount Sinai for 40 days. Jonah preached in Nineveh for 40 days—it changed the Ninevites, but it didn’t soften Jonah’s heart. Elijah went 40 days without food on Mount Horeb, Jesus fasted in the wilderness for 40 days, and he appeared to his disciples for 40 days after his resurrection.
In the Bible the number 40 often symbolizes a period of testing. Testing might be a good way to describe your effort at the 40-day spiritual discipline challenge. Perhaps you started well but struggled to keep up along the way. Or maybe you stumbled right out of the gate but got the hang of it in your second or third week.
I’d encourage you to not focus so much on whether your journal has a few empty pages, but rather what’s written in the pages. And don’t spend too much time thinking about why committing a Bible verse to memory seems so elusive; spend your time remembering how the verse helped you battle temptation or help a friend. The point of the spiritual discipline challenge wasn’t to do it perfectly, but rather to let the Word of God change you. The point was that you might have a “Kairos” moment or two when God spoke to you that day specifically with the verses you had read. Or when a prayer request recorded in your journal was answered, and you knew God had heard you.
Imagine if, going forward, you had a lifetime of those type of experiences. Or imagine if, as the spiritual disciplines grew more consistent, those God moments also grew more consistent. The value of the 40-day spiritual discipline challenge was that each of us might have a few more of those moments we could apply what we learned from God in our personal Quiet Time, and that it would inspire us to spend more time in his Word in the future. So that, as we looked back at where we had come from, we could look forward to where we ought to be.