I come from a family full of military people. My father and younger brother are Marines. My older brother is in the Army. Each of them has stories about boot camp that they love to tell. These stories describe hardship and pain that they volunteered for. This borders on masochism in my eyes but each of them felt that they matured because of their experiences. I have often wondered why they went through all that pain. Why did they march several miles a day regardless of the weather? Why would they practice the same drills over and over again? Why would they allow themselves to yield to a grueling schedule that they did not come up with? There must have been some motivation. My father informed me that everything was done so that they would be prepared. You have to be trained in order to be a soldier. You cannot expect to go into battle and automatically know what to do unless you have first disciplined yourself to react in a certain way. Every drill, routine, or exercise, regardless of its difficulty, is used to discipline the recruit. The recruit does not have the right to complain about the discipline because it is necessary if he plans on being a soldier. The process of discipline is vital to the military if it wants to be successful in the combat that it engages.
The Bible discusses the topic of spiritual warfare on several occasions. Ephesians 6:12 is a reminder that “we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” This means that Christians are at war! Just like the military there is a need for preparation and discipline if we want to survive this conflict. Proverb 3:11 states that we should not “reject the Lord's discipline.” This discipline will result in our spiritual lives being more like Christ. Hebrews 12:1-13 shows the effect this has on spiritual formation.
“...Throw off everything that hinders…”
Athletes usually train with many weights on their body in order to become stronger. On the day of the game the weights are removed so that the athlete can perform at their best. If we want spiritual formation to take place then we must examine our lives and see what is holding us back from serving God. We are given some difficulties to go through in life to strengthen us. Many people fail under pressure because they have areas of their life that are hindering them. Career, family, homes, money, attitudes and many other things can keep one from progressing spiritually because of an unwillingness to get rid of the dead weight. It will be impossible to keep up with where God is leading you if some serious self evaluation is not completed.
“…Run with perseverance…”
If you want to run in a marathon you cannot stop after 15 miles and expect success. The runner must be motivated to endure even when their body does not want to go any further. This type of drive will benefit the runner every time. Spiritual formation cannot be attained by giving up easily. The disciplines have to be approached with the mindset of long term grown. I cannot pray for wisdom tonight and wake up the next day expecting it to be there. We must cultivate a faith is “steadfast and immovable” (1 Cor. 15:58). When this is accomplished then giving up because the discipline is hard will never be an option.
God is able to make this requirement of us because He is faithful and full of perseverance. Countless times in the Bible He redeems His people and did not give up on them. This model set by God must be responded to it with the same vigor in which it was given.
“…Consider Him…”
There can be a temptation to feel that the discipline commanded by God is too difficult. It can be easy to complain when we do not feel like going through with what He has asked of us. The comfort given is to remember that Christ died for our sake. Christ took following the will of His Father so serious that He gave up His life for it. Because of His dedication I cannot look at my discomfort and think that it is unbearable. The discipline that I personally go through can never be compared to what happened on the Cross. It is because of this “consideration” that we have the hope that things can and will get better because Christ has already traveled this path ahead of us.
“…it produces a harvest of righteousness… for those who have been trained by it..”
The discipline we receive from God has a purpose. It is God’s intention that we receive the blessing of righteousness if we have received the proper training. It is through this training that God shows us how we are to respond to this world. If I am successful in being discipline by God then I will not have to worry about anything. I will live an existence of peace because I will be ready for anything that comes my way. This is the exciting adventure of spiritual formation that God has called all His believers to partake in.
So how will you respond to God’s discipline? Will you continue to carry extra weight around or discard your extra baggage? Will you give up when things get hard or persevere till the end? Will you consider what Jesus has already done sacrificially or think about your rough experience? Will you produce a harvest of righteous that leads to peace or continue to worry because that is what you are accustomed to? Your answers to these questions will determine the outcome of your spiritual formation.
Showing posts with label spiritual disciplines. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spiritual disciplines. Show all posts
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Thoughts on Dallas Willard's The Spirit of the Disciplines
I want to be like Mike! Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time. I can remember watching him play and being astounded at the way he dominated on the court. I made a decision a long time ago that I wanted to play just like him. In the 7th grade I got up the courage to try out for the basketball team even though I did not know how to play. My dribbling was terrible, my defense was non existent, and I could not do a wind sprint because of my asthma. I saw these problems as a temporary setback because I knew that I was born to play like Jordan. The coach did not see things my way at all. I was cut from tryouts after the first day. All I wanted was an opportunity to sit on the bench and be there ready to go in if he needed me. I knew that I could learn from watching the great players out there, but I did not think that practicing was going to help any. The truth is that if that day would have come for me to play I would have failed miserably because I did not take the time to practice for the game.
The reality for all Christians is that God requires us to get in the game (Mark 16:15). He expects us to get off of the bench and play until He pulls us out permanently. There are too many of us that are sitting on the bench (church attendance) who are not ready to go into the game because they are not willing to put in the practice necessary to be successful. In 1 Timothy 4:7, Paul tells us to “spend your time and energy in training yourself for spiritual fitness” (NLT). He is stating that those who are prepared to be used by God are participating in exercises that make this growth possible.
Dallas Willard, in his book The Spirit of the Disciplines, describes the nature, purpose, process, and product of the spiritual disciplines. In these next paragraphs we will discover how to practically relate this to life and ministry.
The Nature of the Disciplines
We have been called to be disciples of Christ. This means that we must be willing to do whatever it takes to follow Christ (Luke 9:23-24). I do not think there is any coincidence that disciple and discipline are similar terms. Those who followed Christ had specific actions they had to carry out in order to consider Him their teacher. I believe this give us a picture of what God wants for us today. Willard comments “a successful performance at a moment of crisis rests largely and essentially upon the depths of a self wisely and rigorously prepared in the totality of its being – mind and body .” Basically he is saying that following Christ takes preparation. I have make sure that I am doing all I can to be ready for God to use me.
The Purpose of the Disciplines
“Full participation in the life of God’s Kingdom and in the vivid companionship of Christ comes to us only through appropriate exercise in the disciplines for life in the spirit .” If I want to wholly give my life to God then I will have to practice the spiritual disciplines. Their purpose is to prepare me so that I can be in complete relationship with Christ. I have for years settled for partial relationship to Him because I was not taught about the disciplines. They seemed like something mystical and very unfamiliar to my faith community. Because of this disconnect I have not allowed myself to live in communion with the will of Christ. Romans 12:1-2 promises transformation to the believer if they give their life to God. If I only partially give myself to God is partial transformation possible? Imagine a butterfly that only has one wing. It is still a butterfly, but terribly prepared for the business of flying. The disciplines will allow the process of development to be completed in each one of us.
The Process of the Disciplines
“A discipline for the spiritual life is…nothing but an activity undertaken to bring us into more effective cooperation with Christ and his Kingdom .” In chapter four of his text Willard separates the disciplines into two different categories: disciplines of abstinence and disciplines of engagement. The disciplines of abstinence include solitude, silence, fasting, frugality, chastity, secrecy, and sacrifice. Each exercise represents areas of our life where we withdraw from certain activities. The disciplines of engagement include study, worship, celebration, service, prayer, fellowship, confession, and submission. Each exercise here represents area of our life where we connect with certain activities. No one is intended to practice all of the disciplines. Each person knows areas in their life where they are spiritually weak. Through prayer and the guidance of the Holy Spirit you can find which discipline should be practiced.
The Product of the Disciplines
“The reason you practice so much is so that you will do things automatically the same way every time .” We see in the Sermon on the Mount that Christ commands some drastic reactions out of His followers. We are told to “turn the other cheek ”, “love your enemies ”, and “not to worry about tomorrow .” Have you tried those actions lately? It is not possible to do any of those things without the power of God. The disciplines, when practiced daily, will help us to react naturally in this fashion. I will not have to struggle with making the right decisions in life because I will have been practicing it all along .
Conclusion
Practicing the spiritual disciplines means living in the presence of God now. They help us slow down so that we can hear God. Only through prayer, the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and total surrender to the disciplines can we expect to be fully developed into the likeness of Christ. We use these tools as a way of being built in the people that He desires. God is patiently waiting on us. Will you take advantage of His free gift and allow this wonderful makeover to take place?
Dallas Willard, The Spirit of the Disciplines (New York: HarperCollins Publishers Inc., 1988)
The reality for all Christians is that God requires us to get in the game (Mark 16:15). He expects us to get off of the bench and play until He pulls us out permanently. There are too many of us that are sitting on the bench (church attendance) who are not ready to go into the game because they are not willing to put in the practice necessary to be successful. In 1 Timothy 4:7, Paul tells us to “spend your time and energy in training yourself for spiritual fitness” (NLT). He is stating that those who are prepared to be used by God are participating in exercises that make this growth possible.
Dallas Willard, in his book The Spirit of the Disciplines, describes the nature, purpose, process, and product of the spiritual disciplines. In these next paragraphs we will discover how to practically relate this to life and ministry.
The Nature of the Disciplines
We have been called to be disciples of Christ. This means that we must be willing to do whatever it takes to follow Christ (Luke 9:23-24). I do not think there is any coincidence that disciple and discipline are similar terms. Those who followed Christ had specific actions they had to carry out in order to consider Him their teacher. I believe this give us a picture of what God wants for us today. Willard comments “a successful performance at a moment of crisis rests largely and essentially upon the depths of a self wisely and rigorously prepared in the totality of its being – mind and body .” Basically he is saying that following Christ takes preparation. I have make sure that I am doing all I can to be ready for God to use me.
The Purpose of the Disciplines
“Full participation in the life of God’s Kingdom and in the vivid companionship of Christ comes to us only through appropriate exercise in the disciplines for life in the spirit .” If I want to wholly give my life to God then I will have to practice the spiritual disciplines. Their purpose is to prepare me so that I can be in complete relationship with Christ. I have for years settled for partial relationship to Him because I was not taught about the disciplines. They seemed like something mystical and very unfamiliar to my faith community. Because of this disconnect I have not allowed myself to live in communion with the will of Christ. Romans 12:1-2 promises transformation to the believer if they give their life to God. If I only partially give myself to God is partial transformation possible? Imagine a butterfly that only has one wing. It is still a butterfly, but terribly prepared for the business of flying. The disciplines will allow the process of development to be completed in each one of us.
The Process of the Disciplines
“A discipline for the spiritual life is…nothing but an activity undertaken to bring us into more effective cooperation with Christ and his Kingdom .” In chapter four of his text Willard separates the disciplines into two different categories: disciplines of abstinence and disciplines of engagement. The disciplines of abstinence include solitude, silence, fasting, frugality, chastity, secrecy, and sacrifice. Each exercise represents areas of our life where we withdraw from certain activities. The disciplines of engagement include study, worship, celebration, service, prayer, fellowship, confession, and submission. Each exercise here represents area of our life where we connect with certain activities. No one is intended to practice all of the disciplines. Each person knows areas in their life where they are spiritually weak. Through prayer and the guidance of the Holy Spirit you can find which discipline should be practiced.
The Product of the Disciplines
“The reason you practice so much is so that you will do things automatically the same way every time .” We see in the Sermon on the Mount that Christ commands some drastic reactions out of His followers. We are told to “turn the other cheek ”, “love your enemies ”, and “not to worry about tomorrow .” Have you tried those actions lately? It is not possible to do any of those things without the power of God. The disciplines, when practiced daily, will help us to react naturally in this fashion. I will not have to struggle with making the right decisions in life because I will have been practicing it all along .
Conclusion
Practicing the spiritual disciplines means living in the presence of God now. They help us slow down so that we can hear God. Only through prayer, the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and total surrender to the disciplines can we expect to be fully developed into the likeness of Christ. We use these tools as a way of being built in the people that He desires. God is patiently waiting on us. Will you take advantage of His free gift and allow this wonderful makeover to take place?
Dallas Willard, The Spirit of the Disciplines (New York: HarperCollins Publishers Inc., 1988)
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
A non-Catholic view of Lent
For those of you who are not familiar with the Church of Christ let me give you a quick definition of who we are from my perspective. This is not an all inclusive view of the church or meant to define all churches of Christ so please keep this in mind as you read. (Note: I will probably receive flack for using a big "C" in church rather than a little "c", but we will deal with that issue later on).
The Churches of Christ are a body of autonomous Christian congregations. We have no central headquarters, CEO, or board of directors. Our congregations are lead by elders (pastors, bishops, etc.) who are responsible for the spiritual leadership of their individual congregations. My role as minister is to preach the message of God to all people. We believe that Christianity is based in the simplicity of God's Word. We have no creed, but the Bible. Our spiritual focus and fulfillment comes from the process of being like Christ in view of the teachings of the first century church as described in the New Testament. Due to this focus, the church seeks to follow the teachings of God and not traditions that are man made. This is not to say that the Church of Christ does not have traditions that we follow, but God's word is the utmost authority in the decision making process. With this being stated please read on.
Although I do not agree with Catholic theology, I must admit that Lent has some spiritual practices that are helpful regardless of your spiritual convictions. Lent is a time when many Christians prepare for Easter by observing a period of fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline. The purpose is to set aside time for reflection on Jesus Christ - his suffering and his sacrifice, his life, death, burial and resurrection. Not all Christian churches observe Lent. Lent is mostly observed by the Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian and Anglican denominations, and also by Roman Catholics.
Many celebrate Lent by giving up something important to them for 40 days in an effort to focus on Jesus Christ better. As I was remind yesterday in church, we should be doing this everyday and not just during one specific time of the year. I agree with that thought, but I believe that at anytime that we are specially focusing in on Jesus it should be something to talk about and celebrated. There is a tendency at times when it is easy to discount what people of different faiths are doing just because it is different from our own practices. This can lead to an attitude of "I am right and they have to be wrong."
I believe it is great that people are willing to look at their lives and say "_____________ is keeping me from spending more time with God." In response to that revelation they choose to keep that out of their life for a set period of time. They then spend the next 40 days purposely spending more time with God because their distraction is not there. Ideally when that period of time is over they will be able to see how much closer they have become to God and either continue to keep that distraction out of their life or significantly decrease that activity. Either way they have a better relationship with Christ.
My family and I have never thought about participating in Lent before. This is mainly due to it not being taught or mentioned in our particular faith. We have decided this year that we want to give it a try. We are going to give up television for 40 days. This may seem like a tiny sacrifice, but when you are hooked on 24, Lost, and American Idol as much as we are then it will not be an easy task. We do plan on purposely spending more time in God's word during this time period. It is our prayer that when this time is over that we will be in better communion with God and will not have to have as much entertainment in our life.
So what do you think about Lent? What are some things that you can give up over the next 40 days?
The Churches of Christ are a body of autonomous Christian congregations. We have no central headquarters, CEO, or board of directors. Our congregations are lead by elders (pastors, bishops, etc.) who are responsible for the spiritual leadership of their individual congregations. My role as minister is to preach the message of God to all people. We believe that Christianity is based in the simplicity of God's Word. We have no creed, but the Bible. Our spiritual focus and fulfillment comes from the process of being like Christ in view of the teachings of the first century church as described in the New Testament. Due to this focus, the church seeks to follow the teachings of God and not traditions that are man made. This is not to say that the Church of Christ does not have traditions that we follow, but God's word is the utmost authority in the decision making process. With this being stated please read on.
Although I do not agree with Catholic theology, I must admit that Lent has some spiritual practices that are helpful regardless of your spiritual convictions. Lent is a time when many Christians prepare for Easter by observing a period of fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline. The purpose is to set aside time for reflection on Jesus Christ - his suffering and his sacrifice, his life, death, burial and resurrection. Not all Christian churches observe Lent. Lent is mostly observed by the Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian and Anglican denominations, and also by Roman Catholics.
Many celebrate Lent by giving up something important to them for 40 days in an effort to focus on Jesus Christ better. As I was remind yesterday in church, we should be doing this everyday and not just during one specific time of the year. I agree with that thought, but I believe that at anytime that we are specially focusing in on Jesus it should be something to talk about and celebrated. There is a tendency at times when it is easy to discount what people of different faiths are doing just because it is different from our own practices. This can lead to an attitude of "I am right and they have to be wrong."
I believe it is great that people are willing to look at their lives and say "_____________ is keeping me from spending more time with God." In response to that revelation they choose to keep that out of their life for a set period of time. They then spend the next 40 days purposely spending more time with God because their distraction is not there. Ideally when that period of time is over they will be able to see how much closer they have become to God and either continue to keep that distraction out of their life or significantly decrease that activity. Either way they have a better relationship with Christ.
My family and I have never thought about participating in Lent before. This is mainly due to it not being taught or mentioned in our particular faith. We have decided this year that we want to give it a try. We are going to give up television for 40 days. This may seem like a tiny sacrifice, but when you are hooked on 24, Lost, and American Idol as much as we are then it will not be an easy task. We do plan on purposely spending more time in God's word during this time period. It is our prayer that when this time is over that we will be in better communion with God and will not have to have as much entertainment in our life.
So what do you think about Lent? What are some things that you can give up over the next 40 days?
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