Rated "M" for Mature - 5/4/25

Spiritual Disciplines 

1 Timothy 4:1–16  (ESV) Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, 3 who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer. 6 If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. 7 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; 8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 9 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. 10 For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe. 11 Command and teach these things. 12 Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. 14 Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. 15 Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. 16 Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers. 

Paul is warning and instructing Timothy to be on watch for deceitful spirits that teach things that will lead people astray. Insincere teachers, who Paul called liars, were giving instructions for people to live in an ungodly manner. They were forbidding marriage, not to be mistaken with Paul’s encouragement to stay single if you could because of the difficulty of the times, and forbidding certain foods which God had not forbidden. Paul then turns to the remedy for this chasing of fallacies: be trained in the words of the faith, train yourself for godliness, and devote yourself to practice, immerse, keep close watch, and persist in these things. 

The Gospel is what saves us, Jesus Christ crucified and resurrected. That is then not set aside for deeper spiritual pursuits but is made more important through the practice of spiritual disciplines. Reading of scripture, Prayer, Worship, Evangelism, Service, Stewardship, Fasting, Silence and Solitude, and Learning are all discipline that when practiced cause us to become more like Christ and more aware of the Gospel that saves us. 

Scripture
2 Timothy 3:16–17 “16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

There is no other source that can be a foundation for what we hold as truth. The mirror that we look into to see who we really are is the scriptures alone. Avoidance of the scripture as a believer is to endeavor to live a life devoted to God out of our current knowledge or feelings, and that is precisely how we are led astray by slick false teachers.

Scripture provides a profit to us in the form of teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness in order that we may be completely equipped. How else could we know? Some people guess at righteousness and spend their lives correcting their misjudgment instead of living victoriously.

Prayer
Pray often, for prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge to Satan. Prayer will cease a man from sin; or sin will cease a man from prayer. John Bunyan

8927 Prayer is not flight; prayer is power. Prayer does not deliver a man from some terrible situation; prayer enables a man to face and to master the situation.William Barclay (New Testament Scholar)

Matthew 26:40–41 “40 And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.””

We do not overcome sin because we cannot overcome in prayer. Focus will never come by doing less of the thing you are attempting to focus on. Discipline forces us through the distraction into the ability to focus.  

Worship
Romans 12:1 “1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”

Worship is the recognition of who God is and offering him what he is actually worth. Paul indicates that even offering our bodies in obedience to God is worship. When we reduce worship to 25 minutes on a Sunday morning as we sing songs, it cheapens the entire idea that God deserves us, all of us. When we give him what we have because it is what he deserves, we are worshiping. Practice worship. Not simply singing, although that can be part of it, but offering God ourselves on a regular basis. 

Evangelism

Romans 10:14–15 “14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone pre
aching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!””

If I have received the good news, it is now my responsibility to tell others of that same Gospel. My testimony is worth sharing. 

Evangelism never looks the same. God created you with a unique personality and story of his salvation. Use it to your advantage. The key to telling your story is to first ask God to give you the opportunity.

The disciplines build on each other. Scripture allows me to know who God is, Prayer directs my focus to align with his, Evangelism comes out of a devotion to scripture and prayer. 

Serving
You cannot be kingdom-minded and selfish at the same time.

Matthew 25:35–40 “35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’”

The calling to serve was modeled by Jesus, and when we give of our time and efforts we become more like him. Serving is a discipline to learn. When we serve, it facilitates humility. 

Stewardship
Matthew 25:14–18 “14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money.”

God has entrusted us with what we have. Stewardship is a discipline that is developed over time. What will bring a return for the Lord? Are my motivations good?  Generosity is only one aspect of good stewardship. 

Fasting
First, let fasting be done unto the Lord with our eye singly fixed on Him. Let our intention herein be this, and this alone, to glorify our Father which is in heaven. John Wesley (Founder of the Methodist Movement)

Matthew 6:16–18 “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. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

Fasting is a discipline that asks us to deny ourselves in order to purify and draw our full attention to God. 

Silence and Solitude
Mark 1:35 “35 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.”

Matthew 14:13 “13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns.”

The problem with our society is that we are never alone. When we are in solitude, the problems of the world buzz through our phones and never provide for us a single minute of peace.

The discipline of being alone is one that benefits our minds and strengthens our ability to connect and hear God’s voice. 

Learning
Philippians 4:9 “9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”

Proverbs 1:5 “5 Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance,”

We are encouraged to keep learning. Keep leaning into the wisdom of God. We are to develop the discipline of becoming a life-long learner. 

When a church is mature, you will find these disciplines in the members of the body. Sunday is not so we can show up and simply feel good about what God has done for us but a time that we can corporately worship together and encourage each other through the disciplines we’ve practiced all week. The body remains healthy not because we simply have things in common but because we practice the disciplines set out in scripture from God. We are becoming a better body.