Historical Disciplines Study 7

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?

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

Week 7 Focus: Prayer—learning a lifestyle of talking to God

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:

Matthew 6:9–13 ESV

Pray then like this: “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 lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

In light of this weeks focus, what is the author saying? Prayer is a relational action between us and God. First recognizing and remembering who God is and what is really important, His kingdom and His will. Aligning ourselves under that, then with that in mind, beginning our petitions or requests so we can be all about His kingdom and His will.

What word or phrase gets your attention in this reading?

Your kingdom come, Your will be done—Jesus is reminding us of the ultimate kingdom and that we should be living in it, helping grow it, and doing the Lords will.

Daily bread—not just food, but bread as in the Word and the presence of God, we need it daily, the affirming Word and the satisfying presence of God.

Lead us not into temptation—not the normal morning prayer, but we don’t want to be led into testing, trials, tribulations, temptations, so as not to fail. We need the help of God and the strength of Jesus to do this for us. Are we oblivious to what’s happening around us?

Deliver us from evil—or the evil one, keep him far from us, protect us, even though you’ve already delivered us. Help us flee from his evil

What in your life needs to hear this word or phrase right now? I need to hear the whole prayer over and over again and to meditate on its meaning and implications.

What is God inviting you to do in response to this word or phrase? To pray, to spend time with Him, to trust Him and His goodness that He can do all that this prayer is saying.

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

Mark 1:35 ESV

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 light of this weeks focus, what is the author saying? Prayer was a priority of Jesus’ and He did it first thing in the morning, very early in the morning before the sun rose, sleep was secondary.

What word or phrase gets your attention in this reading? Early in the morning while it was still dark. We probably wouldn’t need to sleep late in the morning if we went to bed earlier in the evening. We prioritize tv or whatever at night over spending time with Jesus in the morning, early, to start our day properly.

What in your life needs to hear this word or phrase right now? The part of me that needs to prioritize prayer over all else, to value time with the Lord and to trust Him with whatever I’m missing.

What is God inviting you to do in response to this word or phrase? Value Him, desire time with Him, prioritize my life.

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

Philippians 4:4–7 ESV

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

In light of this weeks focus, what is the author saying? We can be anxious because we don’t pray and trust God with thanksgiving. We lack peace because we haven’t unloaded our “stuff” on Jesus, asked Him to carry this for us. We worry and fret because we don’t pray, and yet Paul is telling us of the great benefits.

What word or phrase gets your attention in this reading?

Do not be anxious about anything—there is much in this world we could be anxious about, but if our good Father is reigning and in control in heaven, what do we really have to worry or be anxious about?

But in everything—every aspect of our life, even the smallest details, God is intimately involved and concerned about. We can go to Him with it all and He will give us peace and guard our hearts so we don’t become weary and lose faith.

What in your life needs to hear this word or phrase right now? The part of me that doesn’t talk to anyone about anything, that guards my own heart and tries to deal with all things. The part that lacks intimacy with God and vulnerability.

What is God inviting you to do in response to this word or phrase? To trust Him, to share all things with Him, to give Him my stuff and trust Him with it.

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?

Unlimited Potential, Inc. | 2020