JesusWalk Bible Study Forum: Q2. A Disciplined Devotional Life - JesusWalk Bible Study Forum

Q2. (2 Peter 1:6) Why is a disciplined devotional life important to you? What happens when you forget or don't have time? What Christian disciplines do you employ to help you open your spirit to God's Spirit?

Q2. (2 Peter 1:6) Why is a disciplined devotional life important to you? What happens when you forget or don't have time? What Christian disciplines do you employ to help you open your spirit to God's Spirit?

Discipline is necessary in every walk of life. It helps in growth in a systematic way. Spriitual growth also depends upon systematic devotions. Its like having food daily at the appointed time. The body is kept well. Untimely meals deteriorate the body. The spirit becomes weak and helpless when we don't feed it properly. Body and the spirit go together. A healthy mind in a healthy body is a saying we all know.


I have realised this and started doing Bible studies and leading Bible studies in our group. This has had a remarkable influence on us. We have become eager to study the Word and go deeper into the knowledge of God.

It would be easy for me to drift in my faith without both regular public worship and disciplined personal devotions. And I want to develop a deeper relationship with God - not drift away from Him.

I follow the lectionary in the Anglican Prayer Book, which includes a Psalm and Old Testament and New Testament readings for both Morning and Evening Prayer each day. However, I only do one set of readings each day - at night - and alternate the readings annually (the Morning Prayer readings one year and the Evening Prayer readings the next).

Along with the readings, I read one of the Prayer Book services. Rarely I read the entire Evening Prayer service; sometimes I use an abbreviated online version; and often I use the brief Family Prayer. This service is so short that I can't use the excuse that I don't have time for it. But if I miss a day or two, I read the Scriptures I missed; if I miss a week or more, I just start back with the current day's readings.

I attend Bible studies at my church several times a year as well as an annual spiritual retreat.

Q2. (2 Peter 1:6) Why is a disciplined devotional life important to you?

Well! for me is important because I love being in His presence, He gives me the comfort in knowing that He is with me in the good times as well as the bad times. I don't seek Him in meditations just when I am in trouble , but I love loving on Him because He is my Father and spending that time with Him helps me to see myself when I am around with other people, my love for other people.

What happens when you forget or don't have time?

My day is totally off track. I operate in myself when I don't spend time with Him. I have gotten where every time I get a second I tell Him Father I love You, or Thank You God!

What Christian disciplines do you employ to help you open your spirit to God's Spirit?

Reading of His Word, Meditating on Him daily and laying out on face to Him in my prayer closet which I really have a closet in the physical. I have a walk-in closet and I go in close the door and just lay out to God.

A disciplined devotional life is important because without discipline, spiritul laziness sets in and before long, sleep. Sleeping spirituallt is very dangerous ground.When we forget or don't have time we need to pray and ask ourselves what got in the way. Usually it is a sidetrack from the enemy. Recognize it and move forward.

Pastor Ralph, on Jul 1 2004, 09:51 PM, said:

A disciplined devotional life is very important to me because otherwise I would try to do it in a 'catch as catch can' manner. 'Flying by the seat of my pants' approach. And, that is not what the God of my understanding has is mind when He uses the work "diligence" or disipline.
So early in the morning, just as the sun is rising, I ride my motorcycle to the Park, and commune with God while practising Tai'chi. The times are very few when I have not done this meditation, but it has happened. I have never forgotten to do it. There is always time to turn my thoughts to God.
You might say that Tai'chi is not a 'christian discipline' but I would quickly say that considering Christ and HIS Ways is what I'm practising. Call it what you will, it is the discipline that we are discussing, and repetition helps create discipline.

I feel it is important to have christian friends around me,read the bible look up christian websites,pray etc,otherwise it's easy to fall and be influenced by ungodly people

Pastor Ralph, on Jul 1 2004, 09:51 PM, said:

Why is a disciplined devotional life important to you?
It is important for me to stay in fellowship with God and not loose sight of my purpose and my calling.

What happens when you forget or don't have time?
I start relaying on myself or others.

What Christian disciplines do you employ to help you open your spirit to God's Spirit?

The Inward Disciplines
Meditation, Prayer, Fasting, Study

Outward Disciplines
Simplicity, Solitude, Submission, Service

Corporate Disciplines
Confession, Worship, Guidance, and Celebration

These are what I try to pratice and perfect, taken from the book Celebration of Discipline, the Path to Spiritual Growth: by Richard Foster

We need discipline in all areas of life. I have to start everyday with time in the Word. There has never been a time that I didn't have the time. I would rather be late going to work or for an appointment than to neglect my time with the Lord. I have certain chapters and verses that I read everyday, and I make them personal by inserting ( I, me, mine, etc.) where I can. I ask Him to open my heart to receive what He has for me and to give me the knowledge to understand. My day would be a total disaster without daily devotionals. Praise the name of Jesus.

Q2. (2 Peter 1:6) Why is a disciplined devotional life important to you? What happens when you forget or don't have time? What Christian disciplines do you employ to help you open your spirit to God's Spirit?

Constant reflection internalise the virtues of God's principals into our life. There is a common saying that we are what we eat. What I gives priority to dictate the outcome. I am now living in a world that advocates individual upmanship and this requires greater effort for me to remain above mediocrity and to attain the real purpose for my existent in a failed society. God daily reminder at the start of each day prepares me for the struggle I face and the strength not to succumb to the temptation that befalled so many a great man throughout history.

PS. As I look back, those day when I forget to talk to my Father in Heaven are those days that nothing seems to be right and I will end giving myself a kick in the back for the many wrong words, actions and reaction that I know I ought not to be doing.

Q2. (2 Peter 1:6) Why is a disciplined devotional life important to you? What happens when you forget or don't have time? What Christian disciplines do you employ to help you open your spirit to God's Spirit?

The most important thing in my life is to put God first! Without a disciplined devotional life, that is impossible! A forgotten time with Him, leads to a day without meaning--a day that is lost as far as His eternal purposes is concerned. To immediately go to Him in study and prayer starts the day off right. Nothing else is so important as that!
I can't forget, but I can say I need to do thus and so first. When I do that, then this time with Him takes a back seat, and it is rare that I would find time later to quiet down and give Him my attention. Sure, there are times when we have to be at the airport or somewhere very early in the morning. I may not have time to read devotional reading or the Bible passages, but I can turn my mind to Him and listen while on the way to wherever I must go. Not as easy now that I am the "designated driver".
What Christian disciplines do I use? Hmmm. Not sure what you want here. The primary idea for me is to obey Him. He called upon us to spend time with Him. That requires obedience. If I skip that time with Him, I am the loser for it. Skipping more than once makes the next skipping easier, and so it goes. I dare not turn from obeying Him! That niggling feeling that I missed something will not let me! I've seen the results in the past and don't want a repeat!

"All things pertaining to life and godliness are made available to us through the knowledge of God who called us by glory and virtue". The knowledge of God only comes with commitment, time, study, self discipline to learn all these things. Without that effective commitment we will not "walk in the good works that He has prepared for us to walk in", namely prophecy, miracles, love and the other fruits of the spirit. God gave us a mind and we are supposed to use it towards Him.

If I neglect this time with God I get out of touch. Imagine a doctor out of touch with his profession! Christ is our profession! Profession above all professions! I represent Him. Imagine an ambassador for a country getting out of touch with his own country! In fact I more than represent Him - He is in me- I am His hands and feet on this earth by the Holy Spirit - I am one with Him. You don't neglect so great a relationship unless you are very foolish. I have been very, very foolish in my life, and do not want to be again! It costs too much. God is my hope and strength. He is Life. Jesus is everything. Without Him there is nothing. I have too much to lose to neglect my time with Him.

I do this online Bible study. As I go to sleep I try to learn some scripture by heart. I need time each day just to be with Him, in praise and thanksgiving. As people and issues, come to mind during the day I pray. At times I take a bigger block of time over specific things. Occasionally I fast with prayer. I note His answers to my prayers and testify of that. Sometimes I pray a passage of scripture. There are many and creative ways to be with God and we are not totally fixed, but able to follow the spirit, and bring our hearts to God. Isn't that wonderful?

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you!

Q2. (2 Peter 1:6) Why is a disciplined devotional life important to you? What happens when you forget or don't have time? What Christian disciplines do you employ to help you open your spirit to God's Spirit?

A disciplined devotional life is important to me because the world does not change, my flesh will not change, and the war continues with the god of this world. When I do not put God first and spend time with Him daily, I do not feel God's presence and direction for the day. I am not sure what is meant by christian disciplines employed to help open my spirit to God's spirit. I listen for the voice of God to direct me in how I can spend time with Him and how that time is to be spent. Sometimes it is in written prayer, oral prayer, media presentations, and this Bible study. God is God alone. He knows what is best for me and I will trust Him to mold me and my devotion to Him so that my devotion is not formulaic but that I please God.

Q2. (2 Peter 1:6) Why is a disciplined devotional life important to you? What happens when you forget or don't have time? What Christian disciplines do you employ to help you open your spirit to God's Spirit?

Even though every day should be God centered, there is a 30 minute time I try to find every day, devoted exclusively to devotional where it is not likely to be interrupted. For me, this devotional time is early in the morning right after I get out of bed. There are a couple of reasons for that time. 1) It is the least likely time to be interrupted. 2) It's the best way for me to start my day. On rare occasions when it is interrupted, I feel anxious and "out of sorts".

My devotional starts with a brief prayer asking the Holy Spirit to open my mind to the Word. Then, I read at least 1 chapter from a book in the Bible. I don't skip around to different chapters from day to day but try to read through a book entirely on consecutive days. Then I go to another book but not necessarily the next book sequentially in the Bible. After reading the Bible, I may refer to commentaries. My devotional ends with prayer. I find reading the Bible before daily prayer opens my mind and heart better for the prayer.

A discipilined devotional life is important to me because it is the only way that
I can maintain an intimate relationship with Jesus and not get sidetracked by
secular things. Also, a devotional life acts as a barrier against the fiery darts
of the enemy, who would seek to confuse me with his thoughts.
When I forget my devotional time, I become very aware that my day is lacking an important ingredient in my spiritual life (an empty feeling).
The christian disciplines that open my spirit to God's Spirit is an immediate
confession of sin to God and asking His help to get me back on track, to admit to God that in my own strenght, I can do nothing.

A disciplined devotional life is important to me because reading GOD's Word gives me strength and armor for the daily life. Without that time with the LORD each morning my defenses against the enemy would be weakened. So many times I have seen new truths in GOD's Word that I have not seen before. It is exciting to see what He has for us.
Seldom do I not have time for devotions but if that happens I try to prepare ahead of time.
I prepare for this time with Him by prayer.

The closer I walk with God, the easier it is to live a Godly, devoted life to Him. With the personal relationship I have with Christ, I can go through my day talking and praying about just about everything I do, like you are talking to a friend. It gives me such a blessing to know that he is there beside me everywhere I go.

Every morning I do a reading and search for something that I can apply to my life for that day. I think that is very important. I haven't always done this, but since I have started each day in this manner, My walk with him seams so much stronger and temptations and evil desires are so much easier to overcome. REMEMBER...we are all still sinners saved by grace, and we will be tempted and sometimes even fall. BUT isn't it great to know that if all I have to do to mantain a closer walk with Him is to spend a measly half hour a day in His word, all that is so much easier.

At the moment I am using this bible study each morning, and what a blessing. It is healping me to grow in Christ more and more each day. THANKS DR RALPH.

Regards,
Dave

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[color="blue"]2a.) The Apostle Paul writes to the church in Corinth:[/color][color="purple"] "For God is not a God of disorder but of peace."[/color][color="blue"] To seek God's will on a daily basis through the discipline of prayer and the reading of the Scriptures. This is what Jesus did. Jesus has set the example for us as the perfect Adam.[/color]
2b.) (2 Peter 1:6) What happens when you forget or don't have time?
[color="blue"]2b.) Jesus tells us:[/color][color="purple"]" I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5[/color][color="blue"] I echo many of your same thoughts about disconnection and the day not going right.[/color]
2c.) (2 Peter 1:6) What Christian disciplines do you employ to help you open your spirit to God's Spirit?
[color="blue"]2c.) First, prayer. Second, the reading and study of the Scriptures. Third, listening to a wonderful Christian radio station {WIHS - 104.9 FM} which constantly provides music of praise and teachings of the Word.[/color]

Q2. (2 Peter 1:6) Why is a disciplined devotional life important to you? What happens when you forget or don't have time? What Christian disciplines do you employ to help you open your spirit to God's Spirit?

It is important to me because without my daily dose of God I'm lost. When I say my daily I mean alllll day dose. I don't forget and I always have the time. We all have the time its the not forgetting that can be tough.
A few of my diciplines are; (please don't laugh at some of them...it works) Everytime I get in the car I pray, not because I am a bad driver because I'm not I just like the alone time. When I take a shower I pray. When I cook dinner I pray, thanking God for the food to prepare, the family home (if they are) and the ability to prepare edible meals. Whenever I use the bathroom I read the bible. Now I use it everyday and more then once so I can get alot of reading done. (depending on the situation) If I am eating a meal alone I read while eating . (Only in my head though, not out loud so I don't choke) There are so many ways we can get our reading and praying in, you just have to want to.