Untitled Sermon (3)

Spiritual Habits that bring the presence of God in our lives.

Good Morning! I hope you all had a great Christmas Holiday. My favorite part of opening presents is watching my wife and kids open their gifts. The anticipation, joy, and excitement on their faces. It honestly brings me a joy that I hope will be forever engrained in my brain.

Spiritual Habits that bring the presence of God in our lives.

Get Close to Jesus 2020

I hope this can relate to you as well!

Good Morning! I hope you all had a great Christmas Holiday. My favorite part of opening presents is watching my wife and kids open their gifts. The anticipation, joy, and excitement on their faces. It honestly brings me a joy that I hope will be forever engrained in my brain.

Spiritual Habits that bring the presence of God in our lives.

This time of year is always chaotic, for most of us it doesn’t come without disappointment, hurts, anguish, exhaustion, bitterness and a relationship with Jesus that can become distant and stagnant.

I hope this can relate to you as well!

Good Morning! I hope you all had a great Christmas Holiday. My favorite part of opening presents is watching my wife and kids open their gifts. The anticipation, joy, and excitement on their faces. It honestly brings me a joy that I hope will be forever engrained in my brain.

Spiritual Habits that bring the presence of God in our lives.

This time of year is always chaotic, for most of us it doesn’t come without disappointment, hurts, anguish, exhaustion, bitterness and a relationship with Jesus that can become distant and stagnant.

I hope this can relate to you as well!

Good Morning! I hope you all had a great Christmas Holiday. My favorite part of opening presents is watching my wife and kids open their gifts. The anticipation, joy, and excitement on their faces. It honestly brings me a joy that I hope will be forever engrained in my brain.

We’ve all been there: distant, drifting, disconnected from God, moving away from Him instead of moving toward Him. We get distracted by so many different things that fight for our attention. But! We can choose to return to God and get to know Him better. We have the choice to either stay disconnected from Him or to draw closer. We have the choice to confess our sins and repent or to hide them in hopes that know one will find out.

This time of year is always chaotic, for most of us it doesn’t come without disappointment, hurts, anguish, exhaustion, bitterness and a relationship with Jesus that can become distant and stagnant.

I hope this can relate to you as well!

Without raising hands how many of us tend to lose sight of Jesus during this time of year?

We’ve all been there: distant, drifting, disconnected from God, moving away from Him instead of moving toward Him. We get distracted by so many different things that fight for our attention. But! We can choose to return to God and get to know Him better. We have the choice to either stay disconnected from Him or to draw closer. We have the choice to confess our sins and repent or to hide them in hopes that know one will find out.

This time of year is always chaotic, for most of us it doesn’t come without disappointment, hurts, anguish, exhaustion, bitterness and a relationship with Jesus that can become distant and stagnant.

This is the last Sunday of the 2019 and for those of us who operate on 10 year plans we are days away from the beginning of a new decade. The 20’s are rapidly approaching us.

My hope for us as a Church and individuals here today is that we are not defined by our past success’s or failures. But that we will be a people living a life marked by Jesus and His Gospel. That all of us will begin to examine our hearts and lives. Who we are at the core. Who we are at the spiritual level.

Without raising hands how many of us tend to lose sight of Jesus during this time of year? How many of you does this describe in one way or another.

This is the last Sunday of the 2019 and for those of us who operate on 10 year plans we are days away from the beginning of a new decade. The 20’s are rapidly approaching us.

We’ve all been there: distant, drifting, disconnected from God, moving away from Him instead of moving toward Him. We get distracted by so many different things that fight for our attention. But! We can choose to return to God and get to know Him better. We have the choice to either stay disconnected from Him or to draw closer. We have the choice to confess our sins and repent or to hide them in hopes that know one will find out.

We’ve all been there: distant, drifting, disconnected from God, moving away from Him instead of moving toward Him. We get distracted by so many different things that fight for our attention. But! We can choose to return to God and get to know Him better. We have the choice to either stay disconnected from Him or to draw closer to Him. We have the choice to confess our sins and repent, or to hide them in hopes that know one will find out.

My hope for us as a Church and individuals here today is that we are not defined by our past success’s or failures. But that we will be a people living a life marked by Jesus and His Gospel. That all of us will begin to examine our hearts and lives. Who we are at the core. Who we are at the spiritual level.

My challenge for us today is,

This is the last Sunday of the 2019 and for those of us who operate on 10 year plans we are days away from the beginning of a new decade. The 20’s are rapidly approaching us.

My challenge for us today is,

My hope for us as a Church and individuals here today is that we are not defined by our past success’s or failures. But that we will be a people living a life marked by Jesus and His Gospel. That all of us will begin to examine our hearts and lives. Who we are at the core. Who we are at the spiritual level.

This is the last Sunday of the 2019 and for those of us who operate on 10 year plans we are days away from the beginning of a new decade. The 20’s are rapidly approaching us.

That we become Spiritually Fit People.

My hope for us as a Church and individuals here today is that we are not defined by our past success’s or failures. But that we will be a people living a life marked by Jesus and His Gospel. That all of us will begin to examine our hearts and lives. Who we are at the core. Who we are at the spiritual level of our lives.

My challenge for us today is,

That we become Spiritually Fit People.

There are some practical steps to help us get Spiritually fit for Jesus.

That we become Spiritually Fit People. That we begin start maintain a spiritual rhythm for our lives.

There are some practical steps to help us get Spiritually fit for Jesus.

(put on overhead)

What does this look like?

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,

To begin a Spiritual Rhythm.

There are some practical steps to help us get Spiritually fit for Jesus.

To begin a Spiritual Rhythm. I have some questions we all need to be asking.

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

How do we do this?

What do we have to gain?

How do we do this?

What does this look like?

My challenge for us today is,

What do we have to lose?

What does this look like?

1.) We need to have Spiritual Rhythms.

That we become Spiritually Fit People. That we begin and maintain a spiritual rhythm for our lives. That we move forward instead a backwards.

What do we have to gain?

Engaging in spiritual disciplines is like learning a new skill or preparing yourself to run a marathon. In the beginning, your stamina for the activity at hand is really low, you may feel clumsy and unsure, and there is a fairly high chance that you will want to give up on your pursuit. The important part is that we keep showing up even when we don’t feel like it.

There are some practical steps to help us get Spiritually fit for Jesus.

What do we have to lose?

We need to have Spiritual Rhythms. (Put on slide)

Often when it comes to matters of faith or relationship with Jesus, we feel like we have to be in the right place in our lives to enter in. As if there is some sort of prerequisite that prepares us to hear from God. The base obligation being that we feel like it. However, if we wait to engage until we feel like it, we very well may never begin.

We need to have Spiritual Rhythms. (Put on slide)

What do we have to lose?

We need to have Spiritual Rhythms. (Put on slide)

In his book, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, Eugene Peterson discusses the importance of perseverance in Christian worship and spiritual discipline. He writes, “If Christians worshiped only when they felt like it, there would be precious little worship...Worship is an act that develops feelings for God, not a feeling for God that is expressed in an act of worship” (pg. 53-54).

Engaging in spiritual disciplines is like learning a new skill or preparing yourself to run a marathon. In the beginning, your stamina for the activity at hand is really low, you may feel clumsy and unsure, and there is a fairly high chance that you will want to give up on your pursuit. The important part is that we keep showing up even when we don’t feel like it.

Often when it comes to matters of faith or relationship with Jesus, we feel like we have to be in the right place in our lives to enter in. As if there is some sort of prerequisite that prepares us to hear from God. The base obligation being that we feel like it. However, if we wait to engage until we feel like it, we very well may never begin. (REPEAT)

Engaging in spiritual disciplines is like learning a new skill or preparing yourself to run a marathon. In the beginning, your stamina for the activity at hand is really low, you may feel clumsy and unsure, and there is a fairly high chance that you will want to give up on your pursuit. The important part is that we keep showing up even when we don’t feel like it.

Often when it comes to matters of faith or relationship with Jesus, we feel like we have to be in the right place in our lives to enter in. As if there is some sort of prerequisite that prepares us to hear from God. The base obligation being that we feel like it. However, if we wait to engage until we feel like it, we very well may never begin. (REPEAT)

In his book, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, Eugene Peterson discusses the importance of perseverance in Christian worship and spiritual discipline. He writes, “If Christians worshiped only when they felt like it, there would be precious little worship...Worship is an act that develops feelings for God, not a feeling for God that is expressed in an act of worship” (pg. 53-54). (Put quote on slide)

In his book, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, Eugene Peterson discusses the importance of perseverance in Christian worship and spiritual discipline. He writes, “If Christians worshiped only when they felt like it, there would be precious little worship...Worship is an act that develops feelings for God, not a feeling for God that is expressed in an act of worship” (pg. 53-54).

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (ESV)

Often when it comes to matters of faith or relationship with Jesus, we feel like we have to be in the right place in our lives to enter in. As if there is some sort of prerequisite that prepares us to hear from God. The base obligation being that we feel like it. However, if we wait to engage until we feel like it, we very well may never begin. (REPEAT)

In other words, Peterson is suggesting that sometimes it’s not the desire for something that motivates our participation, but rather it is the participation in the practice that fosters a desire within us. When it comes to fitness, there are many days when one just doesn’t feel like it and that’s why we need a rhythm.

Here are some spiritual disciplines that need to become our main priority for a healthy Rhythmic life in Jesus.

In his book, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, Eugene Peterson discusses the importance of perseverance in Christian worship and spiritual discipline. He writes, “If Christians worshiped only when they felt like it, there would be precious little worship...Worship is an act that develops feelings for God, not a feeling for God that is expressed in an act of worship” (pg. 53-54).

In other words, Peterson is suggesting that sometimes it’s not the desire for something that motivates our participation, but rather it is the participation in the practice that fosters a desire within us. When it comes to fitness, there are many days when one just doesn’t feel like it and that’s why we need a rhythm.

Spiritual Rhythms:

A rhythm is established through consistent practice wherein a priority becomes a habit.

Here are some spiritual disciplines that need to become our main priority for a healthy Rhythmic life in Jesus.

Gratitude

Gratitude is simply the spiritual practice of thankfulness.

Here are some spiritual disciplines that need to become our main priority for a healthy Rhythmic life in Jesus.

Spiritual Disciplines that need to become the rhythm of our lives.

Prayer, gratitude, worship, reading the Bible, solitude, fasting, generosity, hospitality, serving.

Intentionally communicated thankfulness to God is a multi-millennia old practice with many of the oldest recorded accounts being found in the Bible. The book of Psalms has perhaps the most concentrated amount of gratitude, but accounts of thankfulness can be seen throughout. Throughout the Bible, Gratitude serves three primary purposes: to worship God, to remember what God has done, and to encourage one another.

Spiritual Disciplines that need to become the rhythm of our lives.

Prayer, gratitude, worship, reading the Bible, solitude, fasting, generosity, hospitality, serving.

Spiritual disciplines are activities. These actives, if we practice them in our lives will create a Rhythm for us that we will begin to know when we are off beat with Jesus. They are not attitudes. Disciplines are practices. Spiritual disciplines are things you do. They are not character qualities. They are not graces. They are not the fruit of the Spirit. They are things you do.

(ESV)

Spiritual disciplines are activities. These actives, if we practice them in our lives will create a Rhythm for us that we will begin to know when we are off beat with Jesus. They are not attitudes. Disciplines are practices. Spiritual disciplines are things you do. They are not character qualities. They are not graces. They are not the fruit of the Spirit. They are things you do.

So you read the Bible. That is something you do. That is a spiritual discipline. You meditate on Scripture. Your pray, fast, worship, serve, learn, you give, and so forth. These are activities. Now the goal of practicing any given discipline is not about doing as much as it is about being: being like Jesus, being with Jesus. But the biblical way to grow in being more like Jesus is through the rightly motivated doing of the biblical, spiritual disciplines.

I will praise the name of God with a song;

I will magnify him with thanksgiving.

So you read the Bible. That is something you do. That is a spiritual discipline. You meditate on Scripture. Your pray, fast, worship, serve, learn, you give, and so forth. These are activities. Now the goal of practicing any given discipline is not about doing as much as it is about being: being like Jesus, being with Jesus. But the biblical way to grow in being more like Jesus is through the rightly motivated doing of the biblical, spiritual disciplines.

The key verse in all this is (ESV)

If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

The key verse in all this is (ESV)

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (ESV)

If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

The NASB says it this way. Paraphrased.

(ESV)

The NASB says it this way. Paraphrased.

“Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness” (NASB). The goal is godliness, but the biblical means to that is to discipline yourself by the power of the Holy Spirit rightly motivated. We are to discipline ourselves for the purpose of godliness. The practical ways of doing that are things that you do.

Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.

“Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness” (NASB). The goal is godliness, but the biblical means to that is to discipline yourself by the power of the Holy Spirit rightly motivated. We are to discipline ourselves for the purpose of godliness. The practical ways of doing that are things that you do.

The NASB says it this way. Paraphrased.

Strictly speaking, joy is not a spiritual discipline. That is the fruit or the result of discipline done rightly. So it is that distinction between doing and being. And the spiritual disciplines are about doing. You can do them as a Pharisee. You can do them wrongly motivated. But rightly motivated, they are things that we are to do in order to be like Jesus, to be with Jesus.

“Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness” (NASB). The goal is godliness, but the biblical means to that is to discipline yourself by the power of the Holy Spirit rightly motivated. We are to discipline ourselves for the purpose of godliness. The practical ways of doing that are things that you do.

These three purposes should animate our practices of gratitude as well. When we spend time thanking God, we remember the things

So our main motivation is to be like Jesus and to be with Jesus.

Strictly speaking, joy is not a spiritual discipline. That is the fruit or the result of discipline done rightly. So it is that distinction between doing and being. And the spiritual disciplines are about doing. You can do them as a Pharisee. You can do them wrongly motivated. But rightly motivated, they are things that we are to do in order to be like Jesus, to be with Jesus.

Communally, when we practice gratitude, we are able to testify to God’s goodness and encourage one another by bolstering each other’s faith through stories of what God has done. These aspects of gratitude provide great reasons to develop this spiritual practice, but another beautiful byproduct of gratitude is contentment. In a culture driven by capitalistic consumerism and endless displays of marketing campaigns, we are inundated by voices telling us that we need more. Practicing gratitude reminds us that we already have way more than we need or deserve. It’s not until we take time to tangibly chronicle the many blessings that we have been given that we realize how much we truly have to be thankful for.

So our main motivation is to be like Jesus and to be with Jesus.

As reminds us, every good gift is from God and God is worthy of our gratitude.

Spiritual Rhythms:

Second Spiritual Rhythm

My first point.

Spiritual Rhythms:

My first point.

1. Read the Bible. Meditate on Gods word.

1. Gratitude

My first point.

1. Gratitude

God’s word is the foundation of our lives. In the Scriptures, God reveals himself and his will for us. If we want to know and enjoy God, the place to begin is God’s word.

We see examples of God’s people practicing solitude in the Bible. For instance, Moses met regularly with the Lord at the tabernacle (, ). God spoke with Elijah () and Jacob () while these men were alone. The best example is Jesus, who “often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” ().

Gratitude is simply the spiritual practice of thankfulness.

Intentionally communicated thankfulness to God is a multi-millennia old practice with many of the oldest recorded accounts being found in the Bible. The book of Psalms has perhaps the most concentrated amount of gratitude, but accounts of thankfulness can be seen throughout. Throughout the Bible, Gratitude serves three primary purposes: to worship God, to remember what God has done, and to encourage one another.

Gratitude is simply the spiritual practice of thankfulness.

Jesus, God Incarnate, spent time alone with His Father. We see Him seeking out solitude after performing miracles (), in times of grief (), before choosing the twelve apostles (), in His distress in Gethsemane (), and at other times in the Bible. Solitude was a consistent practice in Jesus’ life.

Apart from the Bible, we CAN’T know what God is like.

Intentionally communicated thankfulness to God is a multi-millennia old practice with many of the oldest recorded accounts being found in the Bible. The book of Psalms has perhaps the most concentrated amount of gratitude, but accounts of thankfulness can be seen throughout. Throughout the Bible, Gratitude serves three primary purposes: to worship God, to remember what God has done, and to encourage one another.

We can see some aspects of God in nature and the creation, but we would never look at an oak tree or a butterfly and know that God is holy, sovereign or loving. We could never know what Jesus did to redeem us by hiking through the Grand Canyon.

(ESV)

We absolutely need God’s word, the only source of absolute, unchanging spiritual truth.

(ESV)

35 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.

I will praise the name of God with a song;

I will magnify him with thanksgiving.

Here’s what Scripture says about itself:

(post scripture only) Jesus just found out that J

Jesus invited His disciples to share times of solitude (group solitude) with Him. “Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’ So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place” ().

Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts." - (put on slide)

I will magnify him with thanksgiving.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (ESV)

To “eat” God’s words means we take them in; we hear God’s words or read them. And when we do this consistently and meditate on them God’s words become a joy and the delight of our hearts.

(ESV)

Biblically speaking, solitude is a valuable practice. “Alone time” with God can allow God to examine us. It can be a time of knowing God more deeply, a time of strengthening, a time of refreshment, a time of sharing our deepest concerns with God, and a time of simply being with the One who formed us and loves us beyond our understanding.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (ESV)

Our lives, our inner being, should be radically changed as followers of Jesus. Not just once, or twice, but continually transformed int

Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.

(ESV)

Blessed is the man

I love how the NLT version of puts it, “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.”

For most of us the reality is we become the consumer of worship. If we like the song we get into it. If we don’t like the song we check out.

Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.

For most of us the reality is we become the consumer of worship. If we like the song we get into it. If we don’t like the song we check out.

who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,

These three purposes should animate our practices of gratitude as well. When we spend time thanking God, we remember the things that God has done in our lives. And, as we recall and record long lists of the blessing that have been poured out on us, we can’t help but be overcome with awe and reverence. In the face of God’s opulent generosity, one can’t help but worship.

The Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the sons of God. This is an assurance we get when we walk by the spirit. The bible said, “God is a Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth.” This shows that this spiritual habit is one of the most important habits of our lives as believers.

When we spend time thanking God, we remember the things that God has done in our lives. And, as we recall and record long lists of the blessing that have been poured out on us, we can’t help but be overcome with awe and reverence. In the face of God’s opulent generosity, one can’t help but worship.

Communally, when we practice gratitude, we are able to testify to God’s goodness and encourage one another by bolstering each other’s faith through stories of what God has done. These aspects of gratitude provide great reasons to develop this spiritual practice, but another beautiful byproduct of gratitude is contentment. In a culture driven by capitalistic consumerism and endless displays of marketing campaigns, we are inundated by voices telling us that we need more. Practicing gratitude reminds us that we already have way more than we need or deserve. It’s not until we take time to tangibly chronicle the many blessings that we have been given that we realize how much we truly have to be thankful for.

nor stands in the way of sinners,

SPIRITUAL: It is also imperative that we discover and act on whatever it is that helps us grow deeper in our relationship with Jesus. Here are some questions we can ask to see how we are developing spiritually:

Corporately, when we practice gratitude, we are able to testify to God’s goodness and encourage one another by bolstering each other’s faith through stories of what God has done. These aspects of gratitude provide great reasons to develop this spiritual practice, but another beautiful byproduct of gratitude is contentment. In a culture driven by capitalistic consumerism and endless displays of marketing campaigns, we are inundated by voices telling us that we need more. Practicing gratitude reminds us that we already have way more than we need or deserve. It’s not until we take time to tangibly chronicle the many blessings that we have been given that we realize how much we truly have to be thankful for.

As reminds us, every good gift is from God and God is worthy of our gratitude. He is worthy of our praise of thankfulness.

nor sits in the seat of scoffers;

How would I describe my relationship with Christ right now?What does it look like when I am feeling closely connected to God?Which spiritual disciplines seem to help me draw closer to Jesus? Prayer? Journaling? Worship? Solitude?Who is holding me accountable to practicing these disciplines?What has God been saying to me lately through his Word? The Holy Spirit? Other Christ followers? Prayer?

Second & Third Spiritual Rhythm

As reminds us, every good gift is from God and God is worthy of our gratitude. He is worthy of our praise of thankfulness.

but his delight is in the law of the Lord,

and on his law he meditates day and night.

Second Spiritual Rhythm

Seven years

2 & 3. Prayer & Solitude. (Put on slide)

2. Solitude (Put on slide)

We see examples of God’s people practicing solitude in the Bible. For instance, Moses met regularly with the Lord at the tabernacle (, ). God spoke with Elijah () and Jacob () while these men were alone. The best example is Jesus, who “often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” ().

He is like a tree

Talk about losing baby: My wife and I were longing for a child.

planted by streams of water

Jesus, God Incarnate, spent time alone with His Father. We see Him seeking out solitude after performing miracles (), in times of grief (), before choosing the twelve apostles (), in His distress in Gethsemane (), and at other times in the Bible. Solitude was a consistent practice in Jesus’ life.

We see examples of God’s people practicing solitude & prayer in the Bible. For instance, Moses met regularly with the Lord at the tabernacle (, ). God spoke with Elijah () and Jacob () while these men were alone. The best example is Jesus, who “often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” ().

Closing. Reveal your own need for God’s help.

This is honestly very difficult to share and be transparent with all of you today. But in sharing my hope is that all of us will begin to practice spiritual disciplines. For us without a relationship with Jesus I fear that this tragedy would have consumed us. Without our brothers and sisters here at Cedar Springs this burden would have been to much to carry on our own.

that yields its fruit in its season,

Jesus, God Incarnate, spent time alone with His Father. We see Him seeking out solitude after performing miracles (), in times of grief (), before choosing the twelve apostles (), in His distress in Gethsemane (), and at other times in the Bible. Solitude & Prayer was a consistent practice in Jesus’ life.

(Put on Slide)

and its leaf does not wither.

35 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.

In all that he does, he prospers.

(post scripture only) Jesus just found out that John the Baptist was beheaded and he went out to pray in solitude with no distractions. This is a great example for us to see Jesus seeking the Father during a time of grieving.

(post on slide) Jesus just found out that John the Baptist was beheaded and he went out to pray in solitude with no distractions. This is a great example for us to see Jesus seeking the Father during a time of grieving.

Jesus invited His disciples to share times of solitude (group solitude) with Him. “Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’ So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place” ().

In

There are two forces that will shape our thinking: either the world or God’s word.

In both of these accounts, Jesus practices solitude by removing himself from the excitement and busyness of ministry to spend time with God. Now as you can see from Jesus’s example, multiple spiritual disciplines can be used simultaneously as we pursue relationship with God. Like Jesus, you can pray in solitude.

Biblically speaking, solitude is a valuable practice. “Alone time” with God can allow God to examine us. It can be a time of knowing God more deeply, a time of strengthening, a time of refreshment, a time of sharing our deepest concerns with God, and a time of simply being with the One who formed us and loves us beyond our understanding.

We can either follow the counsel of the world or the counsel of the Word. tells us that we should make God’s word our delight and meditate on it consistently – day and night.

Solitude tends to be more about one’s environment. As we saw illustrated above, Jesus went somewhere to pray. He changed His environment so that He could seek uninterrupted time with God. Now, sometimes when people practice solitude they do leave and go somewhere different to hear from God, but at its core solitude isn’t about being somewhere different but quieting the distractions in our environment so that we can concentrate on God. Solitude is simply the practice of presence. Jesus left distraction behind so that He could be completely present while He talked with God in prayer. If you have the freedom and time to seek out a completely new environment to practice solitude in, that’s awesome and I’d recommend that you do that.

Our lives, our inner being, should be radically changed as followers of Jesus. Not just once, or twice, but continually transformed into His image, bearing His Fruit.

I love how the NLT version of puts it, “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.”

To “meditate” on God’s word means to ponder it, dwell on it, chew on it and roll it over in our minds in order to apply it to our lives.

But, if you don’t, you can still practice solitude by creating space to tune out all of the day’s distraction to focus completely on God. Of the three, this spiritual discipline may seem the most foreign. So, if you are looking for a way to practice solitude, I recommend finding a pair of earplugs, placing your cell phone in a different room, setting a loud timer for 5-15 minutes, and simply sitting in silence. While you sit there and thoughts come into your mind, give them over to God in prayer. Write them down in a journal. Once you feel the most present, ask, “God what do you have for me today.” Keep in mind, implementing a new rhythm can be awkward at first but it’s important to keep at it. It’s important to make time with God of upmost importance.

You will most likely spend multiple times of solitude clearing your mind and not even getting to full presence and that’s okay.

Charles Spurgeon, who always had a way with words, put it this way:

The Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the sons of God. This is an assurance we get when we walk by the spirit. The bible said, “God is a Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth.” This shows that this spiritual habit is one of the most important habits of our lives as believers.

Practicing a spiritual discipline is about creating moments in our busy lives to connect with God and strengthen our relationship with Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. If you are interested in seeking spiritual health in 2020, I challenge you to add it to your list of resolutions. I promise that you won’t regret it.

As we continue to work on solitude, slipping into full presence with God will become easier and quicker, allowing you to spend more time alone and uninterrupted with God.

Some people like to read so many chapters every day. I would not dissuade them from the practice, but I would rather lay my soul asoak in half a dozen verses all day than rinse my hand in several chapters. Oh, to be bathed in a text of Scripture, and to let it be sucked up into your very soul, till it saturates your heart! Set your heart upon God’s Word! Let your whole nature be plunged into it as cloth into a dye!

SPIRITUAL: It is also imperative that we discover and act on whatever it is that helps us grow deeper in our relationship with Jesus. Here are some questions we can ask to see how we are developing spiritually:

Jesus invited His disciples to share times of solitude (group solitude) with Him. “Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’ So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place” (). Solitude is for us corporately as well.

2. Gratitude (put on slide)

Gratitude is simply the spiritual practice of thankfulness. (Put on slide under Gratitude)

Biblically speaking, solitude is a valuable practice. “Alone time” with God can allow God to examine us. It can be a time of knowing God more deeply, a time of strengthening, a time of refreshment, a time of sharing our deepest concerns with God, and a time of simply being with the One who formed us and loves us beyond our understanding.

How would you describe your relationship with Christ right now?What does it look like when you feel closely connected to God?Which spiritual disciplines seem to help me draw closer to Jesus? Prayer? Journaling? Worship? Solitude?Who is holding me accountable to practicing these disciplines?What has God been saying to me lately through his Word? The Holy Spirit? Other Christ followers? Prayer?

3. Prayer (Put on slide)

Intentionally communicated thankfulness to God is a multi-millennia old practice with many of the oldest recorded accounts being found in the Bible. The book of Psalms has perhaps the most concentrated amount of gratitude, but accounts of thankfulness can be seen throughout. Throughout the Bible, Gratitude serves three primary purposes: to worship God, to remember what God has done, and to encourage one another.

Seven years ago my wife and I were so looking forward to having our first child. We, like many couples do were caught up in the excitement and joy of becoming a family. We were fulfilling a biblical command. Be fruitful and multiply. (say it jokingly)

Talk about losing baby: My wife and I were longing for a child.

We just hit on prayer in the last point. Mainly because a lot of times Solitude and Prayer come together.

(ESV)(put on slide)

Prayer is potentially one of the most straight-forward spiritual disciplines because it focuses on talking to God. Talking is pretty easy, right? Yet, it can be one of the most intimidating and perplexing disciplines because it focuses on talking to God. So, it can be hard to know where to begin. Not to mention, for those of us who have thrown up a prayer of desperation in a time of need only for a situation to not turn out the way we thought it should or hoped it would, prayer might be something that feels impotent and may even have incited some doubt. So if you are feeling any hesitancy, I want you to know that you are in good company and in the right place.

To begin, there are many different ways to pray. You may have heard some fancy descriptors like intercessory or contemplative prayer. You may wonder about timing, posture, and/or length. You also may have heard that there are many different types of prayer offered up for different reasons throughout the Bible, which sorting through those can definitely be overwhelming. So, for our purposes today, we are going to keep it simple and go back to the basics; the Lord’s Prayer. Much like us, the disciples watched as Jesus retreated often to talk with God and wanted to know the “right” things to say. In , Jesus gave the disciples a prayer that is both whole and conclusive in and of itself, but also can be used as an outline of the things for which we should be praying.

I will praise the name of God with a song;

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us to the time of trial. but rescue us from the evil one.

Closing. Reveal your own need for God’s help.

Our lives, our inner being, should be radically changed as followers of Jesus. Not just once, or twice, but continually transformed into His image, bearing His Fruit.

This prayer covers all of the basics and helps us to think through the fundamentals of prayer: honoring and praising God, ushering in the kingdom of God, asking that we would corporately receive the bread of life (Jesus), that we would be people focused on and known for our forgiveness, and finally, that when we face the hardships of this world that God would be with us and deliver us through them. If we create space to talk with God about these things, we are on the right track.Our lives, our inner being, should be radically changed as followers of Jesus. Not just once, or twice, but continually transformed into His image, bearing His Fruit.

This is honestly very difficult to share and to be transparent with all of you today. But in sharing my hope is that all of us will begin to practice spiritual disciplines. For us without a relationship with Jesus I fear that this tragedy would have consumed us. Without our brothers and sisters here at Cedar Springs this burden would have been to much to carry on our own.

I will magnify him with thanksgiving.

When we pray we are allowing God access to guide our lives. And helps us to walk in the spirit.

I love how the NLT version of puts it, “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.”

In all of these things I start thinking about my relationship with Jesus. That in the alone times of sorrow and pain, He brought comfort, peace, joy.

The Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the sons of God. This is an assurance we get when we walk by the spirit.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (ESV)

"God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

(ESV)

As we are looking to close the chapter on 2019 and move into the New Year 2020.

Practicing a spiritual discipline is about creating a spiritual rhythm in our busy lives to connect with God and strengthen our relationship with Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. If you are interested in seeking spiritual health in 2020, I challenge you to make it a top priority beginning today. I promise that you won’t regret it.

Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.

Let’s be a people that live with Gratitude. Let’s be a thankful people. By allowing God to remind us of what He has done for us, in us, and thru us. We will become a people marked by His Grace and that my friends will begin to affect others around us.

When we spend time thanking God, we remember the things that God has done in our lives. And, as we recall and record long lists of the blessing that have been poured out on us, we can’t help but to be overcome with awe and reverence. In the face of God’s opulent generosity, one can’t help but worship.

Practicing a spiritual discipline is about creating a spiritual rhythm in our busy lives to connect with God and strengthen our relationship with Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. If you are interested in seeking spiritual health in 2020, I challenge you to make it a top priority beginning today. I promise that you won’t regret it.

SPIRITUAL: It is also imperative that we discover and act on whatever it is that helps us grow deeper in our relationship with Jesus. Here are some questions we can ask to see how we are developing spiritually:

Corporately, when we practice gratitude, we are able to testify to God’s goodness and encourage one another by bolstering each other’s faith through stories of what God has done. These aspects of gratitude provide great reasons to develop this spiritual rhythm, but another beautiful byproduct of gratitude is contentment. In a culture driven by capitalistic consumerism and endless displays of marketing campaigns, we are inundated by voices telling us that we need more. Practicing gratitude reminds us that we already have way more than we need or deserve. It’s not until we take time to tangibly chronicle the many blessings that we have been given that we realize how much we truly have to be thankful for.

As reminds us, every good gift is from God and God is worthy of our gratitude. He is worthy of our praise of thankfulness.

How would you describe your relationship with Christ right now?What does it look like when you feel closely connected to God?Which spiritual disciplines seem to help me draw closer to Jesus? Prayer? Journaling? Worship? Solitude?Who is holding me accountable to practicing these disciplines?What has God been saying to me lately through his Word? The Holy Spirit? Other Christ followers? Prayer?

Third Spiritual Rhythm

Here are some questions to help you build a rhythm for spiritual fitness:

How many times a week will you set aside intentional time to pursue spiritual disciplines? (If you are new to this, start with 2-4 times a week)

3. Solitude (Put on slide)

How long will each of your prayer times be? (10-15 minutes tends to be a sweet spot at the beginning)Take a moment to think about your week.

When can you consistently set aside time? (Before the kids wake up, at the beginning of your work day, at lunch, or right after the kids go to bed at night may be options to consider)Who are you going to tell? (A friend, a co-worker, or a spouse are all great options)

Finally, when are you going to start? I want to challenge all of us to start now. To begin to seek God in a new and refreshing way. In a way that isn’t religious. In a way that isn’t based off of works. In way that will affect our lives in Jesus to the core of who we are in Him. That we would become the Salt of the Earth that we are all called to be.

** In all of these things talked about today I want encourage you to get an accountability partner. Men with Men, Women with Women. Men we need each other to share our victories and mistakes. Women you need each other to share your victories and mistakes. We need each other to be held accountable to what God has for us corporately and as individuals. All of us have a story to tell. Let that story impact the lives of others.

So in closing I hope this story I’m about to tell reveals my wife and I’s dependance on God. Our loss and pain that was carried by our close friends here at Cedar Springs. They didn’t and wouldn’t have let us carry it on our own. For the Men and Women who walked with us during honestly the most tragic and painful time in our lives. In what I’m about to share with you I want you to turn your eyes to Jesus. And to realize the need for accountability and people to know you for who you are.

We see examples of God’s people practicing solitude & prayer in the Bible. For instance, Moses met regularly with the Lord at the tabernacle (, ). God spoke with Elijah () and Jacob () while these men were alone. The best example is Jesus, who “often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” ().

Seven years ago my wife and I were so looking forward to having our first child. We, like many couples do were caught up in the excitement and joy of becoming a family. We were fulfilling a biblical command. Be fruitful and multiply. (say it jokingly) There were some complications at about 16 weeks and we lost our baby. I wont go into graphic detail about what all happened. But I will go into detail for what God did do. He revealed to us that our dependence is in Him. That His yoke is easy and His burden is light. This happened on a Friday night/Early Saturday morning. We had the most incredible friends come and just sit with us and morn with us and displayed the Love of God so clearly and authentically. I’m reminded of times when I in solitude before God and I was angry, I was upset, and frustrated because of what happened. And I could here His voice saying I love you, I love you.

And I saw His love continually displayed from friends, family and co-workers.

The reality is this is honestly very difficult to share and to be transparent with all of you today. But in sharing my hope is that all of us will begin to practice spiritual disciplines. Without some of these disciplines & For us without a relationship with Jesus I fear that this tragedy would have destroyed us . Without our brothers and sisters here at Cedar Springs this burden would have been to much to carry on our own.

Jesus, God Incarnate, spent time alone with His Father. We see Him seeking out solitude after performing miracles (), in times of grief (), before choosing the twelve apostles (), in His distress in Gethsemane (), and at other times in the Bible. Solitude & Prayer was a consistent practice in Jesus’ life.

In all of these things I start thinking about my relationship with Jesus. That in the alone times of sorrow and pain, He brought comfort, peace, joy that surpassed all of my understanding.

As we are looking to close the chapter on 2019 and move into the New Year 2020. A new Decade.

Let’s be a people that live with Gratitude. Let’s be a thankful people. By allowing God to remind us of what He has done for us, in us, and thru us. We will become a people marked by His Grace and that my friends we will begin to affect others around us.

(Put on Slide)

35 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.

In all of these things I start thinking about my relationship with Jesus. That in the alone times of sorrow and pain, He brought comfort, peace, joy.

(post on slide) Jesus just found out that John the Baptist was beheaded and he went out to pray in solitude with no distractions. This is a great example for us to see Jesus seeking the Father during a time of grieving.

In both of these accounts, Jesus practices solitude by removing himself from the excitement and busyness of ministry to spend time with the Father. Now as you can see from Jesus’s example, multiple spiritual disciplines can be used simultaneously as we pursue relationship with God. Like Jesus, you can pray in solitude.