Spiritual Disciplines

Spiritual Disciplines

MY QUESTION for GOD

How can I keep my heart in tune with God’s heart?

A MOMENT with GOD

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

Proverbs 4:23

Every aspect of life is affected by the spiritual condition of your heart. Because of the impact a leader can make on others, you must care for your inner life. Otherwise, your weakness, wounds, and weariness will likely affect those around you in negative ways. Likewise, spiritual vitality will inspire and sustain those around you. The spiritual disciplines (such as meditation, prayer, fasting, and Bible study) are some ways you can care for your heart and soul. They are not practiced to impress God, but rather to allow God to impress himself on you so that you in turn can make an impact on others. They are not achievements you perform for God but ways you make yourself available to him.

Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27

An athlete trains over and over again so that fundamental skills become automatic. In the same way, spiritual disciplines can be practiced so that following God faithfully is an automatic reflex that will guard your heart when anything tries to tempt or attack it.

When you come to worship me, who asked you to parade through my courts with all your ceremony? Stop bringing me your meaningless gifts; the incense of your offerings disgusts me! As for your celebrations . . . and your special days for fasting—they are all sinful and false . . . for your hands are covered with the blood of innocent victims. Wash yourselves and be clean! Get your sins out of my sight. Give up your evil ways. Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.

Isaiah 1:12-17

It’s important to remember that the spiritual disciplines cannot take the place of a heart committed to God. They become mere hypocrisy when they are not motivated by a sincere desire for God and his will in your life.

DIVINE PROMISE

DON’T WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING; INSTEAD, PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING. TELL GOD WHAT YOU NEED, AND THANK HIM FOR ALL HE HAS DONE. THEN YOU WILL EXPERIENCE GOD’S PEACE, WHICH EXCEEDS ANYTHING WE CAN UNDERSTAND. HIS PEACE WILL GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS AS YOU LIVE IN CHRIST JESUS.   Philippians 4:6-7