Redeem the time

Redeem the time by: Developing Spiritual Disciplines:

Look at any sport success story, or look at anyone who has achieved greatness and you may discover the reason for their success. Most likely you will hear that they were consistent in the basics. Their sudden accomplishment was more than probably revealed by years of disciplined living or their unwavering tenacity.

Mark Spitz won 7 gold medals and broke 7 world records. When asked, 'How did you achieve such a mind boggling accomplishment?' He replied, 'For years I was in the pool from 6am until 5pm every day....It's called pool time.'

Consistently doing the basics was the foundation for his success.

Paul writing to Timothy stated:

1Tim 4:7-8 NAS
Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

So what are some basic spiritual disciplines?

Spiritual Disciplines are:

Bible study...reading the Bible helps believers to know and to grow.

Meditation...it is learning to think positively...

I often slow my self down by writing the books of the bible out in long hand with a fountain pen... helps me to know how and what God thinks, clears the clutter, chatter, and brings clarity of thought...whatever is good, right, lovely, honest, and true think on these things...it is positive brooding...

Louie Giglio...uses the one word of a verse bible meditation program...take a verse...then take a key word and think about that word for a day or two...amazing what comes to mind, and the lessons that can be learned.

Prayer...talking to God...and listening to God...slowing down on the inside to think, talk, worship and listen...find a place set an appointment and talk to God....and old book titled Hey, God was a great read of an Italian family and 'momma', her conversations that began by the statement,'Hey, God'...

Serving others...serving others is the pathway for our head knowledge to become heart knowledge...

Thomas Merton learned much about himself, his faith and how to love by living and serving in a community that included the mentally challenged.

Serving others rightly gets our eyes off our self importance and onto those for whom Christ died...serving others reveals our heart attitudes and our ability to love, show grace and our willingness to care for others in practical ways...

1 Pet 4:10 NLT God has given gifts to each of you from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Manage them well so that God's generosity can flow through you.

Becoming a generous person...learning to become a generous giver instead of a constant receiver is acquired by developing a generous lifestyle...

my friends Scott, Mark, Doug exhibit this quality consistently that challenges and sparks generosity in me.

They give, and give big...

I've learned to tip big, add an extra $5 to the price of a special personal gift, to fill a persons car with a tank full of gas, to purchase my wife and kids gifts just because I love them...

Living a guarded life...sadly many of us don't realize that living a guarded life is probably the most important spiritual discipline we can practice...

Think of the recent and past moral failures that are played out in the media...

somewhere, somehow, their guard was down, and a moment became a lifestyle that in the end became a downfall...

watch over your heart will all diligence for out of it flow all the issues of life...is the proverbial warning...

perhaps we should listen to our hearts more often, and pause for reflection before we __________________.

Community...being part of a group who will love you enough to speak the truth to you in love...

to love you as you are...

and encourage you to be the best you can be...

community is where life is truly lived...

where the 56 + one anothers can be walked out...

hopefully you are connected to a community of believers that is of such a quality that they will not allow you to believe your own press and keep you grounded.

This week I will discipline myself by _____________________________.