Spiritual Disciplines Series: Getting Started Seeking God

Christianity is an ancient religion.  Around the world and throughout the ages, many have practiced spiritual disciplines to draw closer to God.  Like any healthy friendship or marriage, it doesn't just happen.  It requires time, effort, and intention.  When you make time to meet with God, the relationship deepens.  We see many references to "Seeking God" in the Old and New Testament.

"But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul." Deuteronomy 4:29

"You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water." Psalm 63:1

Do we really need God?  Do modern people like us have time for God?  In a word, yes.  Those mentioned in holy scripture are just like us.  We are still seeking God:

To Worship God

To Give God Glory
To Serve God

To Know God's Will
To Obey God's Laws and Commands
To Repent
To Find Comfort

To Find Peace
To Find Refuge
To Find Salvation
To Get Guidance
To Get Help
To Receive Forgiveness
To Receive Healing

To Receive Blessing 

In the end, ancients and contemporaries have found God to be trustworthy, praiseworthy, and all-sufficient.

"Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met." Matthew 6:33 (Message)

"But even there, if you seek God, your God, you’ll be able to find him if you’re serious, looking for him with your whole heart and soul. When troubles come and all these awful things happen to you, in future days you will come back to God, your God, and listen obediently to what he says. God, your God, is above all a compassionate God. In the end he will not abandon you, he won’t bring you to ruin, he won’t forget the covenant with your ancestors which he swore to them." Deuteronomy 4:29-31 (Message)

People from every age and place, who prize relationship with the Creator and purpose, seek God. They walk daily with God. I-AM exists. I-AM loves.  I-AM is present.

"Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that he exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him." Hebrews 11:6

Practicing the spiritual disciplines is one way seekers cultivate relationship and communion with God. Let's get started seeking God with 1 or more of the resources below.

RESOURCES
BOOKS

Dunnam, Maxie. The Workbook on Spiritual Disciplines. Upper Room. 1998.

Foster, Richard J. Celebration of Discipline: The Path To Spiritual Growth. HarperOne, 2018.

Ortberg, John. The Life You've Always Wanted: Spiritual Disciplines for Ordinary People. Zondervan, 2009.

Ronnevik, Gretchen. Ragged: Spiritual Disciplines for the Spiritually Exhausted. 1517 Publishing, 2021. 

Whitney, Donald S. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. NavPress, 2014.

Willard, Dallas. The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding How God Changes Lives. HaperOne,

 1999.

Wolpert, Daniel. Creating a Life with God: The Call of Ancient Prayer Practices. Upper Room, 2003.

VIDEOS

Foster, Richard J. Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth. Full Movie. Nov. 9, 2020.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqAiVyBwsog  (3 hours)

Willard, Dallas.  Spirit of the Disciplines. (1/3) Changed Lives, Is it Real?  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSZzJRJZSXE (1 hour)

Willard, Dallas. "Dallas' Personal Daily Practices?" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqLmeubS65Q (6 minutes)

Fall Reading for Christian Growth

Fall is a colorful season.  Find a sunny spot in God's presence.  Spend time communing with your Lord and Savior.  Grow in Christ.

Reading is one tool available in Christian formation.  In addition to the Bible, you might read one of these recently published books, written by well-known authors, speakers, pastors, and psychologists.

To find a copy, go to your local bookstore or shop online at Amazon or Christian Books Distributors. 

 To save shelf space and money, go to your local library.  Often they will have the book in print or provide it as a digital copy: eBook or audio book for download.  Do you have a free Hoopla or Over Drive account from your public library?  It's easy to create by contacting your library branch or checking its website.

READ
Begg, Alistair. Brave by Faith: God-Sized Confidence in a Post-Christian World.  The Good Book Company, 2021. 

Brown, Brene. Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience. Random House, 2021.

Cloud, Henry and Townsend, John. Growth Has No Boundaries: The Christian's Secret to a Deeper Spiritual Life. Zondervan, 2019.

Lucado, Max. You Were Made for This Moment: Courage for Today and Hope for Tomorrow. Thomas Nelson, 2021. 

Martin, Charles. What If It's True?: A Storyteller’s Journey with Jesus. Thomas Nelson, 2020. 

Moore, Beth.  Chasing Vines: Finding Your Way to an Immensely Fruitful Life. Tyndale Momentum, 2020.

Simons, Ruth Chou. When Strivings Cease: Replacing the Gospel of Self-Improvement with the Gospel of Life-Transforming Grace. Thomas Nelson, 2021.

Tisby, Jemar. How to Fight Racism: Courageous Christianity and the Journey Toward Racial Justice. Zondervan, 2021. 

Townsend, John. People Fuel: Fill Your Tank for Life, Love, and Leadership. Zondervan, 2019.

Whittle, Lisa. The Hard Good: Showing Up for God to Work in You When You Want to Shut Down. Thomas Nelson, 2021. 

*Chris McCorkle, CC BY NC-ND 2.0, 9/7/2007.

Biblical Lament

I have been reading A Sacred Sorrow: Reaching Out to God in the Lost Language of Lament by Michael Card.  Job, David, Jeremiah, and Jesus all cry out to God in their pain, when they face crushing problems.  You know Jesus was a "Man of Sorrows and acquainted with grief" (Is 53:3). 

Tears and sorrow, pain, and problems are part of the human condition.  They cannot be sidestepped.  At times we find ourselves wandering in the wilderness.  Sometimes "wilderness" is called by another name:  illness, injury, war, unemployment, bankruptcy, family breakup, failure, and the list goes on. 

Then we cry and we cry out to God.  Why, God?  Where are you, God?  How will I endure this?  Pour out your feelings. God can handle the unedited version.  Maybe it's time to read the Psalms or Lamentations?

Given a choice we tend to pursue happiness and dream of prosperity.  However, that is not how Jesus experienced life.  "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 

Jesus is not surprised by the troubles we face.  He asks his disciples, then and now:  
“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

What burden are you being asked to carry?  How are you coping?  Where or to whom have you turned for help?

I appreciate Michael Card sharing his journey.  We can either focus on the pain and problems or we can seek God's presence, Immanuel, God with us, no matter what.  God does not promise to fix, to heal, or to solve whatever problem weighs us down.  He does promise to be with us to the end of the age.  Anyone who has read stories in the Bible realizes God's people have suffered.  They have lamented.  They have worshipped God in the wilderness.  Persecution, prison, and prayer are described throughout the Bible.  

Lament is the first step towards worship.  In our neediness, we come to know who God is, all that God has done for us, and all that God has given.  Walking with God is the turning point from despair to worship.  God's presence is enough.

Michael Card. Immanuel. July 2, 2017.

Plant Wisdom

Advice from Plant Mom:  "Luckily the Croton Petra is tough, so even if your plant has lost all its leaves, don't lose hope.  I laughed after reading that, as my plant is drooping and wilted.  

We are like puny plants.  We need God's resurrection power.  We trust that God will raise the dead like Lazarus.  We believe that God will will make dry bones live, as the prophet Ezekiel declared.

"Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. Ezek. 37:4

Whenever we face a difficult, desperate, dreadful situation, pray the Holy Spirit's power into it.  We may feel terrified, but we cannot succumb to despair. We must learn to endure.  We can hold on to one another and to Jesus, who promises to be with us to the end.

Flags & Faith?

Sighting:  Communion Sunday July 4th, communion cups neatly arranged on the narthex table over an American flag decoration?  Hmm, that's different.  Yup, that's dangerous, theologically speaking.  Because as we know, Christ's work on the cross was for all time, all peoples, living in all places.  

"God so loved the world that he sent his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Have you noted the latest publishing project, God Bless the USA Bible to be released in September 2021?  Why package the Bible plus U.S. Constitution, Pledge of Allegiance, and song lyrics "God Bless the USA?   Why conflate American nationalism and politics with the ancient, international Christian faith?  This too is dangerous drift, theologically speaking.  

No one country can claim Christ.  God's kingdom was ushered in at the cross where heaven and earth met in Christ.  

Yes, understanding basic Christian theology still matters, profoundly so.

Everyday Christian Education

Governments rise and fall, but God is eternal, immutable, and omnipotent.   Christianity is relevant and unique.  

We know Christians and spiritual seekers are blessed by loving Christian fellowship, growing in the knowledge of Christ, experiencing forgiveness, and relying on Holy Spirit power.  

So how are we to equip Christians for ministry?  How are we to develop the mind of Christ in believers?  How do we present Kingdom living in the here and now?  Life has always been difficult and messy.  People want the real story on how faith works in the everyday of handling anger, doubt, fear, failure, illness, stress...

People are struggling: individuals, couples, families, and congregations.  People are seeking meaning and purpose. Discipleship, listening, prayer, encouragement, hospitality, and service are still very much needed and appreciated.  It's only a question of where, when, and how they are made available in 21st century America.  

Perhaps Christian lectures are passé and outdated?  We learn best by hearing, seeing, doing, and through conversation as in apprenticeships, internships, mentoring, and following wise guides through the unknown.  

"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."  John 16:33

How will you share life, light, and love in an ordinary moment today?

Life Is Messy. Get Real.

Although we make plans, changing circumstances often prevent us from "living the dream."  Life is messy and often harder than imagined.  How are we to experience joy and peace while treading troubled waters?

After a pandemic year of going nowhere, my husband and I took a road trip only to land in the hospital, far from home.  Now the many follow-up doctor appointments.  And of course, family life presents its own problems which spill over into ours.

Are painful, protracted trials portrayed in the movies you watch and novels you read?  The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (which our Crestview book group is reading) asks the question: Would I be better off picking a different life from the one I am actually living? 

The Apostle Paul writes many New Testament letters from jail.  Missionary work is tough.  Nevertheless, Paul rises above protracted suffering.  Read Philippians:  joy despite circumstances. What's his secret coping strategy?

We lean on Jesus Christ who gives us strength when we feel overwhelmed and weak.  He carries us through the darkest days.

"I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am." Phil. 4:12-13

Michael W. Smith. Hang On. Nov. 6, 2014  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piIfA6igo5Y