Oakbrook Evangelical Free Church

Powerpoint PDF: A Time To Reflect
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Introduction:

A time to remember…

 

 

 

Resources:

The Spirit of the Disciplines – Understanding How God Changes Lives

Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster

 

Disciplines of Abstinence

solitude

silence

fasting

frugality

chastity

secrecy

sacrifice

 

Disciplines of Engagement

study

worship

celebration

service prayer

fellowship

confession

submission

 

I.          Solitude

Matthew 4:1-11 “Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. “After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. “The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” “Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” “Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ““If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” “Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” “Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ““All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” “Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” “Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.” NIV

 

Luke 6:12-13 “Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.  When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles:”

 

Matthew 14:10-13 “Herod had John beheaded in the prison…John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.  When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns.” NIV

 

Mark 1:35 “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”

 

Luke 5:16 “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”

 

Mark 6:31 “Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”” NIV

 

Matthew 26:36-46 “Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” “He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. “Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” “Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” “Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. ““Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”

 

Matthew 6:6 “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” NIV

 

Notice:

1.      Withdrawing into solitude was a life-style for Jesus

2.      Solitude is a discipline that lays a foundation for other disciplines like prayer and fasting.

 

Steps into: (disciplines = work, things we do)

1.         Take advantage of the little solitudes of each day

            Waking moments, waiting moments, waning moments

            Silent table prayer

2.         Find time with God in the little walks of the day (times for inner quiet when others around you might not be)

 

3.         Find a “quiet place” inside / outside your home.

4.         Practice periods of silence (30 minutes, 1 hour, 1 day)

5.         Learn to “listen to the voice of God” in those silences

 

 

II.         Silence

Without silence there is no solitude.  Silence may be the absence of speech and noise but it is not the absence of listening.

 

Ecc 3:7  “There is a time to keep silent and a time to speak”

Psalm 46:10 ““Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”” NIV

 

Psalm 112:1,4,6-8 “Praise the Lord. Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands…Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man…Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever.  He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes.” NIV

 

Matthew 12:14-15, 18-20 “The Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus. “Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. Many followed him, and he healed all their sick,…Isaiah said, “Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. “He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory.” NIV

 

Isaiah 30:15 “This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength” NIV

 

1 Peter 2:23-25 “When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly…you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.” NIV

 

James 1:19 “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,” NIV

 

There is a learning process you have to go through to learn the discipline of silence:

~ It makes us feel helpless.

~ The tongue is a tool used to accomplish things…force / manipulate

~ Brings the freedom to let our case / cause rest entirely with the Lord

~ Rather than chafing and fighting we become still and wait.

 

III.        Study

Joshua 1:7-8 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” NIV

 

Psalm 1 “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.

“But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. “He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

“Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. “Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. “For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” NIV