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Spiritual Disciplines – Part 6 (Fasting and Abstinence)
can be downloaded here.

On Sunday, we talked about Revelation and a big theme that Jon kept coming to was the idea that we should apply this to our lives.  It is common to view Revelation as simply a book predicting future events (or past events depending on your view I guess).  I know that it is hard for me to see how I should live my life differently based on Revelation.  My perception was that a primary way in which we can apply what is written is for us to be even more active in our following of Christ.  I’m not sure exactly what that looks like or if it is even the best application of what we studied.  I am curious what all of your thoughts are on the idea.

Spiritual Disciplines – Part 5 (Confession)
can be downloaded here.

Spiritual Disciplines – Part 4 (Meditation)
can be downloaded here.

Spiritual Disciplines – Part 3 (Meditation)
can be downloaded here.

It’s easy to see that others can lack perspective.  A child declares that they can’t live without a particular toy, but as adults we smile and assure them that their life can be lived without it.  If only they had our perspective. 

A teenager deals with heartbreak at the end of their first relationship and feels the intense pain that it brings.  They feel they might never love again.  But we assure them that the pain eventually does subside, and that though they can hardly imagine it at the time, they will find love again.  If only they had our perspective.

We struggle with the pressures of life that bear down on us, while others who are facing crippling illness or death remind us of how relatively well off we are and how much life we still have before us.  If only we had their perspective.

Jesus often reminded us in subtle and not-so-subtle ways that we lack His perspective.  We are often self-centered, while He reminded us that we were created to love others as ourselves.  We often cling to our possessions, while He reminded us that everything that was made belongs to the Lord.  We live entirely for this life, while He reminded us that we were also meant to live in anticipation of the life to come in eternity.  We are obsessed with our own needs and desires, but miss the movement of God in the greater stories around us and throughout the arch of our own life story.

We are in anguish over all the pain and suffering and poverty and illness in the world, while He gave us the ability, resources and opportunity to address almost all of those things.  We struggle with doubts and fears and worries, and ignore the truth of an ever-present God who invites us into His presence and into a place where there will be no more sorrow, no more tears, no more worry and no more pain. 

If only we had His perspective.

Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load.  Galations 6:1-5

In the discussion that came up last night of ways to practice the spiritual discipline of Service was the idea of ”bearing each others burdens”.  I admit this tends to be one commandment that I’m not sure exactly how to apply.  I’ve heard it said that this means -at the very least – empathizing with your brother when they are hurting.  But to me, only doing this feels shallow.  What do you think this commandment is actually requiring of us, and in what (practical) ways can we better live this out?

Spiritual Disciplines – Part 2 (Prayer)
can be downloaded here.

As we get ready to launch an upcoming series on Questions About Prayer, we asked you to submit the questions that you have about prayer. We got a large number of questions back (over 50 so far) and the list keeps growing. Here is just a sampling of the questions that we’ve received so far. If you think of some others you’d like us to consider, just post a comment or send us an email.

Scripture says that the prayers of the righteous are heard. What does it mean to be righteous? Is there anything Biblical about praying in a group? It seems that Jesus was almost always in solitude for prayer. Are there any advantages to ritual (liturgical) prayers? How often should we pray? Why pray if God already knows what your needs are? Regarding people who have the “gift of intercession,” what does that mean? Are there people whose prayers are heard more than others? Some say prayer is for the purpose of being in conversation with God, but it seems like a one-sided conversation. How can we know the difference between God speaking back to us and our own thoughts (particularly if the voice tells us something we are okay with). Are we supposed to feel anything (some presence, some connection) with God?

How does prayer’s effectiveness relate to God’s sovereignty? Can our prayers change God’s plan? What is the purpose of listening to someone else’s prayer (when someone prays in front of a group)? Is there any point for a non-follower of Christ to pray other than making a commitment? Does fasting make prayer more effective? How do I deal with verses like John 14:12 where God says he will do anything we ask when it seems like he doesn’t? Is there more power in greater numbers of people praying about something? What is the role of the Holy Spirit in prayer? If prayer is the way God’s people petition him to act, if his people don’t pray, does God not act? Is tacking on “if it is your will” to the end of our prayers really just a sign that we really don’t believe that God’s going to do what we ask? What is the difference between being persistent in our petitions (Luke 18) and grumbling (Exodus 16:8)? Does God sometimes answer prayer though a series of “coincidences”? If the purpose of prayer is to get to know God’s character, wouldn’t reading the Bible be more effective?

Spiritual Disciplines – Part 1 (Introduction and Simplicity)
can be downloaded here.