Chapter 7 - 3 Disciplines of Engagement - Study and Meditation

This week, let's dig into Study and Meditation. In the section on study, Boa outlines several good techniques to get past looking at the Bible as a textbook. Read this list over and determine what new ideas may kickstart your study of the Word. In the section for meditation, since we're "always sowing thoughts" consider what you are allowing to be sown and from what source. Does it align to the litmus test in Philipians 4:8? If not (completely), what can you do about that??

Chapter 7 - Solitude and Silence (Disciplines of Abstinence)

Solitude and Silence are companion disciplines; silence gives depth to solitude, and solitude creates a place for silence. If solitude was important enough for Jesus to 1) prepare for His inaugural ministry (wilderness), 2) prepare to select His disciples (mountain), and 3) prepare to sacrifice His life for us (garden); how much more should it be important to us? Consider that each day has clustered opportunities for little moments of solitude. Silence is then what you do in solitude. This "verbal fast" helps develop inner control and composure, the less we will feel compelled to gain outward control over people and circumstances. Enjoy reviewing the 20 disciplines (pgs 82-86) and then digging into the deep dive of Solitude and Silence (pgs 86-89).

Chapter 7 - Spiritual Disciplines

This chapter outlines twenty disciplines of the faith and focuses on two disciplines of abstinence (solitude and silence) and three disciplines of engagement (study, meditation, and prayer). A number of suggestions are offered for practicng these five strategic disciplines. You can read the disciplines at: http://books.google.com/books?id=9iN9qx0e9S0C&pg=PA82&lpg=PA82&ots=UM75N-tHMH&dq=ken+boa+chapter+7+list+of+spiritual+disciplines&output=html_text Which ones resonate with you? 1) Solitude, 2) Silence, 3) Prayer, 4) Journaling, 5) Study, 6) Meditation, 7) Fasting, 8) Chastity, 9) Secrecy, 10) Confession, 11) Fellowship, 12) Submission, 13) Guidance, 14) Simplicity, 15) Stewardship, 16) Sacrifice, 17) Worship, 18) Celebration, 19) Service and 20) Witness

Chapter 6 - Disciplined Spirituality

Discipline should work in concert with dependence, since grace is not opposed to effort but to 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. How do we achieve balance - not overemphasizing our role and minimizing God's role?

Chapter 5 - Paradigm Spirituality - Do you trust God?

We continue our study in paradigm spirituality. If we truly trust in God, then we will live with an eternal value system, right? One of the good analogies was that of staying in a hotel - no matter if one stays in a flea bag or 5 star, everyone lives out of a suitcase. We are temporary here on earth so we need to live IN today, but FOR tomorrow.

Facet 2 - Paradigm Spirituality; Chapter 4 - Life's a journey, where are we going?

Onward... "Biblical realism requires a grasp of the brevity of our sojourn on earth so that our hope is fixed not on the prospects of this passing world but on the promises of the everlasting God. A growing realization of our mortality should cause us to treasure the opportunities of the present." In this chapter, let's suppose you have one day to live, now what?? Read pages 57-64 and consider life...

Chapter 3 - Relational Spirituality - Loving Others Compassionately

Chapter 3 is upon us! Does our vertical relationship translate to our horizontal relationships? If not, what's the point? A few highlights to ponder: 1) "The more we love God, the more we will express his transcendent love in others-centered deeds of kindness and goodness" (pg 43). 2) "The more we are concerned with what God thinks of us, the less we will be worried about what others think of us" (pg 45). 3) "A vertical relationship with the Lord is the key to quality relationships with others" (pg 46). 4) "The heart always provides for what it values, and if we value God first, our capacity to love him and others will expand" (pg 47). 5) "But if we are investigation in the lives of people, our investments will accrue dividends forever, since people were made in the image of God to inhabit eternity" (pg 48). 6) "When you release the wrongdoer from the wrong, you cut a malignant tumor our of your life. You set a prisoner free, but you discover that the real prisoner was yourself (pg 50). 7) "...treating each relationship as though it could be our last contact" (pg 52).