Historical Disciplines Study 6

Engaging in the Historical Disciplines

LOOKING BACK (Care and Accountability)

How was your week (highlights, difficulties, challenges, etc.)?

In what way did you influence someone this week in their relationship with the King?

Week 6: Meditation and Obedience

Facet Overview

Discipline should work in concert with dependence, since grace is not opposed to effort but earning. The multiple benefits of the time-tested disciplines of the faith contribute to spiritual formation in the same way that training prepares us for skillful endeavor.

Sub-Themes

A balanced view of both dependence and discipline.

An appreciation for the multiple benefits of the spiritual disciplines.

A look at some basic Spiritual Disciplines that lead to a mature walk with Christ.

Personal Reading Time

Find a quiet place each day to slowly read the passage(s) out loud to yourself. We will read and discuss week 1 together.

Sit in the silence and listen to what is God saying to you through the passage(s)?

This Week’s Readings:

Joshua 1:8 ESV

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.

In light of this weeks sub-themes, what is the author saying? If you want good success in life, if you want your way to be prosperous, if you have a desire to be obedient to God and His Word, then we need to meditate on it day and night and keep it ready on our tongue.

What word or phrase gets your attention in this reading?

Meditate—it’s a word that has been associated with eastern religions, an emptying of your mind and focusing on nothing. Biblically, and clearly from this passage, meditation is focused thinking for the purpose of knowing it and it becoming a part of us.

Prosperous—the O.T. principal of obedience leads to blessing and literal prosperity from the hand of God, and disobedience leads to cursing (Deuteronomy). For us today, obedience is no guarantee of material prosperity but rather prospering in our relationship with God and others.

The Book of the Law—this would be considered the books of Moses, the literal law and also the principals within these books. For us this would include the Psalms as well, Proverbs, the Gospels and letters, all the areas where we see the character of God, the places that help us to fall deeper in love with God, that spur on our obedience, or challenge us, correct us, etc. All they had at this time was the books of Moses.

What in your life needs to hear this word or phrase right now? The part of me that uses the Word for study prep and teaching. The part of me that rushes over areas, and doesn’t stop to ponder, to contemplate, to allow inspection. The part of me that struggles to desire obedience.

What is God inviting you to do in response to this word or phrase? To stop, meditate, not for the blessings, but because the God of the universe has spoken and allowed me to hear, to read, to know Him and what is pleasing to Him. To continue to do the exercise, P.P.P. and T.A.C.S. To grow in my desire for Him, His Word, and my response, obedience.

Be prepared to share how the passage(s) impacted you with the group (make a note).

Psalm 119:1-8

English Standard Version Psalm 119

Your Word Is a Lamp to My Feet

ALEPH

119  Blessed are those whose way is blameless,

who walk in the law of the LORD!

2  Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,

who seek him with their whole heart,

3  who also do no wrong,

but walk in his ways!

4  You have commanded your precepts

to be kept diligently.

5  Oh that my ways may be steadfast

in keeping your statutes!

6  Then I shall not be put to shame,

having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.

7  I will praise you with an upright heart,

when I learn your righteous rules.

8  I will keep your statutes;

do not utterly forsake me!

In light of this weeks sub-themes, what is the author saying? In right standing with God are those who meditate and contemplate on the Word of God, to do this is a way of seeking Him wholeheartedly. This leads to obedience, an increased desire for obedience and a keeping of Gods Law, so that one will be above reproach or accusation, we will be able to praise Him with a pure heart.

What word or phrase gets your attention in this reading?

Who also do no wrong—this is not possible, at least according to Jesus. Maybe O.T. is just strict observance to the letter of the Law absent from the heart, but we are incapable of never doing wrong when considering our thoughts and motives. Praise be to Jesus.

Then I shall not be put to shame—the thought is that strict adherence to the Law earned and guaranteed Gods favor and also the high opinion of others. Keeping from wrong doing, at least publicly would eliminate and opportunity for shame.

Do not utterly forsake me—here we see the problem with religion, with earning favor from God. How do we know if we are good enough or done enough? Here we see the lack of confidence in the system and the fear of not measuring up. With true Biblical Christianity, it’s not what we must do to be right with God, it’s what God has done to make us right with Him. He realizes that even with his strict adherence to the Law he is still unsure of where he will stand at judgement.

What in your life needs to hear this word or phrase right now? The part of me that thinks I can earn Gods favor and also the part of me that takes Gods Word too lightly, the part of me that doesn’t strive to be completely obedient, completely above reproach. I know Jesus has lived and died for me, He has made me holy, but that doesn’t excuse me from striving for holiness.

What is God inviting you to do in response to this word or phrase? Examine myself, repent, confess, buck up, but really to love God more. To fall deeper and deeper in love with the God who has loved me beyond anything I can comprehend, then I will study His Word more, strive for holiness more.

Be prepared to share how the passage(s) impacted you with the group (make a note).

Psalm 24:4–5 ESV

He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

In light of this weeks sub-themes, what is the author saying? Obedience leads to blessing and righteousness. But obedience comes from love. Compliance comes from rules and religion.

What word or phrase gets your attention in this reading?

He who has—we may be able to say this momentarily, but not constantly in the O.T., generally but not factually. But in the N.T. because of Jesus, it is finished, done, we cannot earn these things from God, they are given by grace through faith, not by what we’ve done, but by what God’s done. Ephesians 2:8-9

He will receive—Here also is a problem with motivation, going to God or doing for God in order to get from God. This is messed up. In Exodus, God reminds the people of all He’s already done for them and how He sees them before He gives them the “Law”. The Law and its observance doesn’t earn Israel its position, they have the position and then God gives them the guidelines to live by.

What in your life needs to hear this word or phrase right now? The parts of me that take sin too lightly and also then beat myself up and allow shame to control me. Jesus has done it all, I don’t need to play games with God, He has me, will I give myself wholly to Him.

What is God inviting you to do in response to this word or phrase? Surrender, trust, adore, believe, etc.

Be prepared to share how the passage(s) impacted you with the group (make a note).

Weekly Group Time

LOOKING UP (Scripture and Discussion)

· What did you hear God saying to you through the reading this week?

· What word, phrase or passage got your attention this week? And why?

· How has it changed the way you live or the way that you see the world?

LOOKING FORWARD (Prayer and Commissioning)

· Personal: Based on our time today, how can we pray for you and for one another?

· Mission: How can you influence someone this week in their relationship with the King?

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