Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian LifeDonald S. Whitney

Friday 4 May 2012

Foreword by JI Packer

Friday 4 May 2012

Foreword by JI Packer

Who is JI Packer?

Friday 4 May 2012

Foreword by JI Packer

Who is JI Packer?- he encourages Christians to read the book 3 times!

Friday 4 May 2012

Foreword by JI Packer

Who is JI Packer?- he encourages Christians to read the book 3 times!- suggests an interval of one month between each reading

Friday 4 May 2012

Foreword by JI Packer

Who is JI Packer?- he encourages Christians to read the book 3 times!- suggests an interval of one month between each reading - the first reading tells you what you should be doing, the 2nd and 3rd ask how well are you doing it?

Friday 4 May 2012

Foreword by JI Packer

“the doctrine of the disciplines (Latin disciplinae, meaning courses of learning and training) is a restatement of classical Protestant teaching on the means of grace (Word of God, prayer, fellowship, and the Lord’s supper)...they are cemented in the Bible and spelled out by the Puritan and older evangelical masters...they are evangelical but not legalistic...he calls us to practice the disciplines out of gratitude for grace not out of self-justifying or self advancing effort.As I pass you over to Don Whitney I would say to you, “Now friend prepare for the workout.” And you will find health for your soul.”

Friday 4 May 2012

Acknowledgments

Whitney declares his thanks to...“The Puritans...They are spiritual giants on whose shoulders I stand.Thanks to Jonathan Edwards, CH Spurgeon and Martyn Lloyd-Jones. My life and ministry are immeasurably better because of theirs.”He also thanks some contemporary friends for their help, encouragement and enrichment in writing the book.”

Friday 4 May 2012

Acknowledgments

WEBSITE OF DON WHITNEY:HTTP://

BIBLICALSPIRITUALITY.ORG/

BIOGRAPHY OF DON WHITNEY:HTTP://

BIBLICALSPIRITUALITY.ORG/ABOUT/BIOGRAPHY/

Friday 4 May 2012

1 Timothy 4:7...Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. (NIV)

But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; (NASB)

Key Verse

Friday 4 May 2012

Spiritual disciplines...for the purpose of godliness

V. Raymond Edman, "Ours is an undisciplined age. The old disciplines are breaking down... Above all, the discipline of divine grace is derided as legalism or is entirely unknown to a generation that is largely illiterate in the Scriptures. We need the rugged strength of Christian character that can come only from discipline."

Friday 4 May 2012

“Discipline without directionis drudgery”

For many Christians they think of spiritual disciplines as drudgery - it is the fact they have no spiritual direction that makes it drudgery - prayer, meditation, fasting all seem to many believers to be unclear in their benefits.We need to understand God’s vision for us, Rom 8:29, For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son,This is so we will be like him (1 Jn 3:2)

Friday 4 May 2012

Understand that God has a desire for us to be like him - however we are not to wait for this holiness but to pursue it, Heb 12:14,Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.How do we do this? Back to our key verse, 1 Tim 4:7,...train (discipline yourself, NASB) yourself to be godly.Practice of the spiritual disciplines help us to become mature and godly.

Friday 4 May 2012

The spiritual disciplines:The means to godliness

Spiritual disciplines have been practiced by Christians for millennia and include:Bible intake, PrayerWorship, EvangelismService, StewardshipFasting, SilenceSolitude, JournallingLearning - and many more...Confession, accountability, submission, simplicity, spiritual direction, celebration, sacrifice...

Friday 4 May 2012

The most important aspect of any spiritual discipline is its purpose - for the purpose of godliness.God gives us spiritual discipline that we might pursue him.Whitney lists many famous Christians all of whom were disciplined in their pursuit of spiritual maturity:Muller, Spurgeon, Calvin, Bunyan, Susanna Wesley, Whitfield, Sarah Edwards.Godliness comes through discipline

Friday 4 May 2012

God uses 3 primary ways to change us - only one do we have any control over:1. People - Pr 27:17Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.Hebrew: sharpens the face of anotherFriends, enemies, parents, children, wife, coworker, teacher, neighbour, pastor, preacher...

Friday 4 May 2012

2. Circumstances - Rom 8:28And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,for those who are called according to his purpose.

3. Spiritual Disciplines - here God is working from the inside out, and God gives us a measure of choice here - we can choose to read the Bible etc. We usually cannot choose people and circumstances.

Friday 4 May 2012

We have to balance the fact that even our greatest, most determined efforts will not make us more holy (as this is a gift of God, Jn 17:17, 1 Thess 5:23), and yet we can further the process and grow in grace through spiritual disciplines. In this process we place ourselves before God in order that he might work in us.The word we use for discipline comes from a Greek word from which we get gymnasium and it means to exercise or discipline.

Friday 4 May 2012

Spiritual disciplines place us in the path of God’s grace - similarly to Bartimaeus (Lk 18:35ff) and Zacchaeus (Lk 19:1ff). Our hope in all of this is transformation, 2 Cor 3:18,And we all, with unveiled face,beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Friday 4 May 2012

“I must take care above all that I cultivate communion with Christ, for though that can never be the basis of my peace - mark that - yet it will be the channel of it.”Charles H. Spurgeon

The job of a football coach is to make men do what they don't want to do, in order to achieve what they've always wanted to be.  Tom Landry.

Friday 4 May 2012

We pursue spiritual

disciplines in order to

become more like Jesus

Christ; that is all we have

wanted to be.Friday 4 May 2012