Spiritual Disciplines-Conclusion

In his book, The Spiritual Disciplines For The Christian Life, Donald Whitney includes one closing phrase at the end of each chapter title, for the Purpose of Godliness. His point is that the goal of each of these Spiritual Disciplines is that we would become more and more Godly each day.

When we began our Series on the Spiritual Disciplines at the beginning of October, one of the things we noted in the message introducing the series was that “Developing a life devoted to the Spiritual Disciplines, can and will take you places you never imagined you would be able to go in your relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ. If these become your habits as you walk with Christ, it will have a major impact on you, as well as those around you.”

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Proper Devotion & Improper Devotion

We went on to look at the fact that if we have a proper devotion to these Spiritual Disciplines, it will result in the Fruits of the Spirit becoming much more visible in our day to day lives. The reason I used the term “proper devotion”, is because there is also an improper devotion, in fact Jesus almost daily went face to face with many who had an improper devotion. The Pharisees devotion to many of the Spiritual Disciplines was unparalleled. Yet Jesus uses them as examples of an improper devotion in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6, where we read: Next Slide

Mt. 6:2; 6:5 & 6:16

Matthew 6:2 ESV

2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

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Matthew 6:5 ESV

5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

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Matthew 6:16 ESV

16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

Later in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus continues in His contrast of the improper devotion, to what is expected of the true believer when He says:

Mt. 7:15-23

Mt. 7:15-23; “15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father Who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your Name, and cast out demons in Your Name, and do many mighty works in Your Name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness.’”

The individuals Jesus is speaking of in these verses had an improper devotion to the Spiritual Disciplines. You see this in the type of fruit that was evident in their lives. A proper devotion to the Spiritual Disciplines in the life of a believer will automatically develop a life that is daily becoming more and more Christ-like, it is the natural outcome. This was also something we looked at in the introduction to the Spiritual Disciplines when it was pointed out that Next Slides

“The goal of practicing the Spiritual Disciplines is not about doing as much as it is about being, that is, being like Jesus.”

This brings us back to the Fruits of the Spirit. Next Slides

Our proper devotion to the Spiritual Disciplines produces the Fruits of the Spirit in us .

As a result:

· The believer will have an attitude of love.

· The believer will have an attitude of joy.

· The believer will have an attitude of peace towards others.

· The believer will have an attitude of patience.

· Of kindness.

· Of goodness.

· Of faithfulness.

· Of gentleness.

· Of self-control.

With these things in mind, an important question for each of us as we devote ourselves to the Spiritual Disciplines is, Next Slide

Am I developing these Fruits of the Spirit attitudes in my life?

If we can’t answer that question with a Yes, then we need to humbly seek that face of God, that He would change our hearts.

Now, as we briefly review the Spiritual Disciplines we looked at in this series, you may notice in the sermon notes provided in your handouts, there are quite a few verses. We will not be reviewing those verses this morning. My hope is that you will take this handout and spend the next couple weeks doing your own personal Bible study on the Spiritual Disciplines. You will also notice on your handouts that there are some challenging questions related to how you are doing in your devotion to the Spiritual Disciplines. These are not designed to make you feel guilty, but to challenge you to take the steps necessary to devote yourself more fully to these disciplines, that your life might be marked by becoming more and more like Christ each day. Next Slide

Time in God’s Word . . . for the Purpose of Godliness

Mt. 5:18; 2 Tim. 3:16; 1 Thess. 2:13

“The Spiritual Discipline of our time in God’s Word, is the key that unlocks all of the other disciplines.”

How am I doing in regard to the Spiritual Discipline of Time in God’s Word?

Do I have a proper devotion to the Spiritual Discipline of Time in God’s Word? Is my devotion to and practice of the Spiritual Discipline of Time in God’s Word producing a life that reflects the Fruits of the Spirit? If not, what can I do to improve in this area?

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· Prayer . . . for the Purpose of Godliness

Lk. 11:9; Lk 18:1; Col. 4:2; 1 Thess. 5:17; Lk. 5:16.

One of the messages on prayer I challenged husbands to start praying with your wife, and not simply your meal time prayer, but simply a time of praying together. Since that message, Pam and I have heard from a wife who was overjoyed to the point of tears because her husband had prayed with her. I also heard from a husband who had recently got on his knees and prayed with his wife. I got to be honest with you, these types of stories absolutely thrill my heart. Again, I want to issue a challenge to you husbands, if you haven’t already, develop a habit of praying with your wife.

How am I doing in regard to the Spiritual Discipline of Prayer?

Do I have a proper devotion to the Spiritual Discipline of Prayer? Is my devotion to and practice of the Spiritual Discipline of Prayer producing a life that reflects the Fruits of the Spirit? If not, what can I do to improve in this area?

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· Worship . . . for the Purpose of Godliness

Jn. 4:7-24; Col. 3:16-17; Mt. 15:8-9

How am I doing in regard to the Spiritual Discipline of Worship?

Do I have a proper devotion to the Spiritual Discipline of Worship? Is my devotion to and practice of the Spiritual Discipline of Worship producing a life that reflects the Fruits of the Spirit? If not, what can I do to improve in this area?

· Evangelism . . . for the Purpose of Godliness

Mt. 28:18-20; Acts 1:8

How am I doing in regard to the Spiritual Discipline of Evangelism?

Do I have a proper devotion to the Spiritual Discipline of Evangelism? Is my devotion to and practice of the Spiritual Discipline of Evangelism producing a life that reflects the Fruits of the Spirit? If not, what can I do to improve in this area?

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· Serving . . . for the Purpose of Godliness

Mt. 9:36-38; Phil. 3:7-8, 13-14, 20-21

How am I doing in regard to the Spiritual Discipline of Serving?

Do I have a proper devotion to the Spiritual Discipline of Serving? Is my devotion to and practice of the Spiritual Discipline of Serving producing a life that reflects the Fruits of the Spirit? If not, what can I do to improve in this area?

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· Stewardship . . . for the Purpose of Godliness

Gen. 1:26; Eph. 5:15-16; Eph. 2:10; Phil. 1:6; Ps. 24:1; Mt. 6:21; Malachi 3:10

How am I doing in regard to the Spiritual Discipline of Stewardship?

Do I have a proper devotion to the Spiritual Discipline of Stewardship? Is my devotion to and practice of the Spiritual Discipline of Stewardship producing a life that reflects the Fruits of the Spirit? If not, what can I do to improve in this area?

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· Fasting . . . for the Purpose of Godliness

Mt. 4:2; Lk. 4:2; Dan. 1:12; Ezra 10:6; Duet. 9:9; Mt. 6:16-18; Joel 2:15-16; Jonah 3:5-8; Lev. 16:29-31

How am I doing in regard to the Spiritual Discipline of Fasting?

Do I have a proper devotion to the Spiritual Discipline of Fasting? Is my devotion to and practice of the Spiritual Discipline of Fasting producing a life that reflects the Fruits of the Spirit? If not, what can I do to improve in this area?

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