TBN Devo

ONE CHURCH X TBN

21 DAYS OF SPIRITUAL CONDITIONING

GOAL

DAILY / 21 DAYS

USE DEVELOP DISCIPLESHIP

CREATED FOR

THOSE SEEKING STRONG & HEALTHY FAITH

CONTENTS

PASTOR GREG FORD & DR. MARK FORD

WRITTEN BY 4 SECTIONS / 63 PAGES

Welcome to 21 days of spiritual conditioning as we gather each day to learn and practice some key principles from God’s Word that will inspire us to develop a lifestyle of DISCIPLES H AP E. God’s Word is a health and wellness manual filled with life-giving truths. The Old and New Testaments are filled with seeds of Divine truth when lived out, daily, produce a growing faith that is strong and healthy. Solomon’s words in Proverbs 3:6-8 use the physical body to illustrate this biblical principle. He states it this way,  “In all thy ways, acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel and marrow to thy bones.” Solomon's words are clear, God is into health and wellness, and anyone who will acknowledge God and daily live out His truths will experience Divine wholeness in every area of their life.

A MESSAGE FROM GREG

esus speaks of spiritual health and wellness but illustrates it by using the word fruitfulness from the world of agriculture to illustrate the key to spiritual Health.

Jesus' teaching about the Seed and the Soil listed in the Gospel promised his disciples an abundant life filled with His presence and power, but the key was allowing the life-giving seed of God’s Word to take root in the good soil of their hearts, lived out in faith and obedience.

A popular term for practicing the principles that Jesus taught as a lifestyle is often called “discipleship”, but for the sake of our 21-day journey I have chosen the term “DISCIPLES H AP E.” There are five foundational principles that we will explore together from Jesus' teaching of the Parable of the Soils which are essential to making your life as a disciple or student of Jesus a lifestyle. The key to your and my spiritual health is dependent upon our willingness to apply Christ’s teaching through the daily spiritual discipline of habitual training like someone who practices physical training in a health and wellness center.

The Spiritual Growth process begins as you have an encounter with the seed of God’s Word and for the first time YOU “SEE” or understand it, unlike any other time in your life.  So, whenever you have a revelation of a truth in God’s Word and you see it, another way of saying it is that you have allowed God to seed His Word and you know SEE IT. The spiritual growth process continues when you take a step beyond just acknowledging the truth and make it part of your belief system whereby it becomes more than a good idea but a God imperative. From the moment you take that step of faith, the seed begins to grow in direct proportion to the level of our obedience to that truth and you live it out as a lifestyle. With time, depending on how diligently you practice or obey the truth, as you live it, it becomes a hab(it). Anything you do habitually becomes part of who you are and the final step in spiritual development is, YOU BECOME IT. YOU become transformed into the image of Jesus as you make His word a daily practice, whereby through spiritual development you get into and remain in DISCIPLES H APE.

Thank you for the privilege of serving as your Lead Trainer for the next 21 days of your spiritual development. The name of my weekly television program is “ The Power of One.”  Never underestimate what can happen when you, just one person, allow the Holy Spirit through the Holy Scriptures to take One truth or seed of God’s Word to be planted in your heart. These next 21 days may prove to be the most transformative time of your life as your eyes are opened in a fresh way to see spiritual insights from God’s Word you have not seen before.

I am here for YOU and YO UR spiritual development, Pastor Greg II.

DO YOU WANT TO SEE?

DAY ONE

Mark 10:46-52, Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see." “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

The question in the title, “Do you want to see.” may appear foolish, especially if you are blind or have poor eyesight. Well, it may surprise you that some people choose to remain blind or to live with extreme sight challenges because they have accepted this as a way of life and have given up hope that things could change for the better. For the next minute, close your eyes and become blind Bartimaeus, the character in this biblical narrative. Sit or stand in the darkness and feel the insecurity and frustration of limited mobility and freedom due to the inability to move around without stumbling over things that you cannot see. Now take the next minute and try to move about, wherever you are, regardless of your familiarity with the space you now occupy and imagine how you might feel knowing people are watching your awkwardness as you seek to navigate a terrain you

This is a picture of what is happening in the spiritual realm when someone is blinded to the spiritual light or truth of God’s Word. Jesus said it this way to Nicodemus in John 3:3, “ Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” In The Passion Translation Jesus uses the word perceive rather than the word see. The word see is a metaphor for becoming aware of or coming to realize something for the first time. The new birth which Jesus referred to with Nicodemus is the door to spiritual sight or insight to a greater understanding of God’s life-giving truths and the path to spiritual growth and development.

For Bartimaeus, his blind eyes were his daily reality not a two-minute imaginary exercise. The day life changed for this blind man was when he opened his mouth and said to Jesus, “I want to see.” We all know someone who has chosen to remain blinded to the realities of the spiritual, physical, financial, relational, or medical conditions of their life. Psychologists call it denial or perhaps their coping mechanism for stumbling through life.  It can be compared to someone whose poor physical condition is obvious by excessive weight, so they avoid looking into the mirror, delay appointments with their mental or medical Physician; or hide in their home isolated from people who love them and want to help them.

This is a picture of what some do related to their poor spiritual condition. Their spiritual blindness remains because they chose to not allow the light of God’s Word to reveal their poor spiritual condition. James says in 1:21-25, that The Bible, is like a mirror that reveals the condition of the multi-faceted areas of ones’ life that need attention. He paints a picture of two different kinds of people who look into the mirror of God’s Word with different responses. One will glance at the truth in God’s Word and quickly disregards it.

Read slowly James words, “If you listen to the Word and don’t live out the message you hear, you become like the person who looks in the mirror of the Word to discover the reflection of his face in the beginning. You perceive how God sees you in the mirror of the Word, but then you go out and forget your divine origin."

Here is how James describes another individual’s response to God Word, “those who set their gaze deeply into the perfecting law of liberty are fascinated by and respond to the truth they hear and are strengthened by it they experience God’s blessing in all that they do!”  Notice closely, the other is drawn to the light of truth and says, “I want to look closer and consider this truth more deeply. James words brings the question, “do you want to see,” into a clearer focus and challenges us to answer carefully with

his penetrating words of admonition, “So this is why we abandon everything morally impure and all forms of wicked conduct.Instead, with a sensitive spirit we absorb God’s Word, which has been implanted within our nature, for the Word of Life has the power to continually deliver us. Don't just listen to the Word of Truth and not respond to it, for that is the essence of self-deception. So always let His Word become like poetry written and fulfilled by your life!”

Bartimaeus’ response is reflective of the second person James describes.  He did not just ignore the seed of faith Jesus passed his way, he took another step to get closer to Jesus and responded to Christ’s question, “What do you want me to do for you”? That day Bartimaeus’ eyes were open and was the day he entered into a quality of life he had never experienced.  This is what God wants to do with you and me on a spiritual level. Poor spiritual sight hinders us from the ability to live the quality of life that Jesus called “the abundant life or a life that is filled with the fullness of God’s presence and power.

QUESTIONS

Are you satisfied with the quality of your physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual Health? List the areas of your life that are in poor condition and need God’s Divine presence and power to bring change. Are you willing to allow God to open your eyes to the truth of God’s Word and take a closer look related to those areas? If yes, pray the following prayer, and then take some time to quietly listen to what God has to say about areas of your life that you are blinded to that He desires to bring change so that you are moving to a healthier DISCIPLES H APE.

PRAYER

Jesus I do believe that your words are filled with life-giving power that will transform my life into a happier, healthier, and hope-filled disciple. I long to be healthy in every area of my life. I hear your voice asking me what you asked Blind Bartimaeus, “What would you have for me to do for you”? My answer is to open my eyes so that I might see the truth that will set me free from the bondages and barriers that keep me sick and broken. In Jesus Name, Amen.

WHAT DO YOU SEE?

DAY TWO

Mark 8:22-25, 22 When they arrived at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to Jesus, begging him to touch him and heal him. So Jesus led him, as his sighted guide, outside the village. He placed his saliva on the man’s eyes and covered them with his hands. Then he asked him, “Now do you see anything?” “Yes,” he said. “My sight is coming back! I’m beginning to see people, but they look like trees walking trees.” Jesus put his hands over the man’s eyes a second time and made him look up. The man opened his eyes wide, and he could see everything perfectly. His eyesight was completely restored.

If you have ever had an eye exam you know the drill. The Eye Doctor has one major assignment, examine your eyes to see the strength and health of each eye and determine if there is corrective lens that is needed so that you can have 20/20 vision. One of the questions that is asked repeatedly during the exam is, What do you see now, as the Optometrist flips that lens to different levels of strength which is magnified on the eye chart.

This is a picture of what happens to our spiritual eyesight once we have been born into the family of God and our eyes are opened to the truth of God’s Word. Although we have spiritual insight to God’s truth, there is adjustments that is needed so that we have a clearer and corrected understanding of scripture.

The story of the blind man is a biblical example of this spiritual principle. Although Jesus opened up his eyes and he could see light, his sight was not clear, and it required that Jesus touch him the second time so that his sight was corrected with greater clarity. One of the most important areas of a new believer’s spiritual sight that often needs progressive revelation is the way they see or perceive God and view themselves.

Here is a very pointed and personal question, what is your view of God and how do you feel when think about your Heavenly Father as you reflect on how He views you? Here is another question, what do you think about you as you look at your physical body in the mirror and how do you feel about you when you look at your attitudes, thoughts and behavior which are part of who you have become?

Your view of God and your perception of how He views you is critical to your spiritual development and health. If you see God as a distant Heavenly Faither whose primary mission is to keep score of how well you keep all of the “rules” outlined in scripture than your relationship will be one that is always seeking and living for God’s approval. On the other hand, if your view of your Heavenly Father is that He adores you and is your greatest cheerleader, than your relationship with God will be one that lives from the reality of His approval of you. Every child knows that one of the best gifts their parents can give is the security of knowing they are loved and accepted regardless of the messes they may create as they grow and mature.

Remember, your image or reputation is the way others view you. Sadly, you may be one who has lived all your life doing everything within your power to create a public image that is not reflective of the real you. So much of our view of God and self is expressed with two words, if and when. Either God or I will approve of me if… or when… I lose weight, stop sinning, get…, you fill in the blanks.

Perhaps you are one of many who live with fear that one day people will finally see the real you and your image will be shattered. If this is your story, I have great news for you. God’s love for you and approval of you is not based on what people say about you or view you. As a child of God, you have something greater going for you than a public image, it is an identity in Christ whereby God views you though His eyes of compassion and the righteousness of His Son. God’s desire is to give you a new view of the way your Heavenly Father sees you and watches over you with adoring eyes of Love. A healthy view of God and of the way you see yourself are big keys to your spiritual development. Each day in our 21 days of spiritual conditioning will provide greater clarity of how Jesus, the Great Physician corrects our spiritual vision so that we reach our full divine potential.

QUESTIONS

Do you live for God’s approval or from His approval, be honest. Do feel deeply loved by God, and if not what would need to happen to convince you?

PRAYER

Heavenly Father thank you for opening my eyes to the truth of your Word, but I need your healing grace to correct my ability to see you and myself from Your perspective. My eyes have been damaged by the things I have allowed to color my view of you and Your approval of me. I have looked for people’s approval, and measured myself according to the way this broken world defines beauty and success. Forgive me for the way I look down and judge others; please give me my Heavenly Fathers eyes. Amen.

LOSE THAT SPIRITUAL CELLULITE

DAY THREE

Ephesians 4: 17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk, …given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

Health and Wellness Centers provide three services, teachers who instruct in nutrition and exercise, trainers who lead and demonstrate how to do the exercise correctly by providing equipment for your physical development and conditioning. When meeting with a trainer, there are two big questions that are asked of anyone seeking qualified physical conditioning. 1.) Is your goal to lose weight? Or, 2.) Do you want to strengthen and increase your muscle mass?

The Apostle Paul tells us that if we are to be in Discipleshape both are required for healthy spiritual conditioning. In today’s spiritual conditioning class, we will consider the first question—What spiritual weight do you need to lose in order to be spiritually fit? What is weighing you down or that hinders you from peace, joy, love, faith, hope and contentment. Is it fear, worry, unforgiveness, jealousy, an addiction, perfectionism, or judgementalism?

In our last lesson we learned that when we were first born into God’s family, over time, God has to correct our understanding of spiritual truths in God’s Word. The first truth the Holy Spirit helps us to see is the brokenness of our lives and the damage bad choices have impacted our emotional, relational and spiritual health. Passages of scripture like, Romans 3:23, “For all of sinned and come short of the glory of God, or Roman’s 6:23, For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Verses like this turned on the light of truth that all of us have been separated from God because of this ugly, three letter word called SIN. For the first time we see how choices we have made, words that we spoke, and our attitudes have separated us from people and from a loving God.

Because of God’s great Love, we found forgiveness from God when we asked Jesus to forgive us, but all of us know that some of those thoughts, feeling, attitudes and behaviors keep showing up each day as we seek to practice the ways Jesus calls us to live. The Apostle Paul tells us that one of the keys to getting into spiritual Discipleshape is, we must lose these weighty manifestations of our brokenness that we carry from our old nature, which are keeping us in an unhealthy spiritual condition. Paul lists a few spiritual cellulites that need to be lost if we are to be spiritually healthy. They are lying, greed, theft, corrupt words, bitterness, wrath, anger that leads to sin and sexual immorality. Here is a good place to stop and reflect on this question—What attitudes, thoughts, behaviors and beliefs are weighting you down and is negatively impacting your life as a disciple of Christ?

Every athlete who runs in a race, knows that one of the keys to running fast is physical conditioning but also to run without things weighing you down. Hebrews 12:1,2 takes that insight and places it in a spiritual context this way, “let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.”

The Holy Spirit reveals to us our need for a Savior so we can receive forgiveness of our sins, not to heap guilt and shame on us. Jesus came not to condemn us but to free us and empower us to be healthy in every area of our lives. In these days of spiritual conditioning, we will learn how to shed those excess weights. For the next few moments ask the Holy Spirit to reveal spiritual insight to the following questions—

QUESTIONS

Are you willing to do what is necessary in order to stop and take a fresh look at things in your life that you may be injecting into your lifestyle that is keeping you from living a life of true freedom? What is keeping you from surrendering those lifestyles choices to God?

PRAYER

Thank you Jesus, for opening my eyes to the truth of your Word that exposes the areas of my life that needs healed and corrected. I confess that some of my words, attitudes and actions are keeping spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically ill, and I need your presence and power to put off these toxic fumes of my former life. I surrender my life to you and invite you to further correct my spiritual sight with another touch of your grace so that I may not only put off these sinful weights but to put on spiritual muscles so that I can be strong in my walk with you, Amen.

BUILD THOSE SPIRITUAL MUSCLES

DAY FOUR

Ephesians 4: 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

L ike the blind man in Mark 8 who needed a second touch from Jesus so that his eyes sight was clearer, so it is with our spiritual eyes. When we are first born into God’s family, one of the first things we see is our need for forgiveness of the sin that has kept us blinded to the truth of our need of a Savior. Once that spiritual condition is corrected, Jesus touches us again with the insight of God loving Grace and goodness along with the vision to see what we can become as we put on spiritual muscles and build our faith.

God cares more about who you are becoming than what you are doing. So, part of God’s second touch is to reveal the Godly thoughts, attitudes and behaviors that will build strong character that flows from your identity in Christ. The Apostle Paul lists a few of these Godly characteristics in Galatians 5:22,23 that disciples of Jesus needs to put on or practice. Are you ready for a dose of what some have called medicine for the soul, or the gospel? Imagine each quality of Christ’s character being medicine for your spiritual and emotional health. Here are a few—Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.

Like anyone who is a beginner, getting into physical shape can be overwhelming. So it is with the challenges that come with spiritual conditioning. Losing physical weight in the natural world, can be discouraging as one works to shed those spiritual pounds and build spiritual faith muscles that gives them the power to think, speak, and act as a Godly Lifestyle. In the medical world, the Physician practices on us and we are called to be patient. In the Spiritual world, Jesus, the Great Physician is patient with us as we practice by training into a Discipleshape. So today is the beginning for you learning how to get into Discipleshape.

As we continue to work together In spiritual conditioning be encouraged that you are not alone, I am here to help but more importantly the greatest teacher/trainer that ever lived, Jesus Christ is with you as well. Today you may feel like a spiritual weakling that needs greater strength in your life to face the challenges you are presently enduring. Every prayer you pray and every choice you make to do the right thing is building your faith muscles, so stay focused and know you are a winner.

QUESTIONS

What spiritual muscles listed in Galatians 5, do I need to focus on in order to become stronger in my walk with Christ? Who do I need to bring into my life that can help me with this Discipleshape journey?

PRAYER

Jesus, thank you for your patience with me as I seek to getting into Discipleshape. Give me power to say no to the junk food of this world and to feed up all that is healthy to my spiritual, emotional, mental and physical life. I am committed to becoming the healthiest disciple I can become and with your presence and power I know I will win.

YOU BELIEVE IT

DO YOU BELIEVE IT?

DAY FIVE

Luke 8:4, Massive crowds gathered from many towns to hear Jesus, and he taught them using metaphors and parables, such as this: “A farmer went out to sow seeds for a harvest. As he scattered his seeds, some of them fell on the hard pathway and were quickly trampled down and unable to grow and became nothing but bird seed. “Here, then, is the deeper meaning to my parable: The word of God is the seed that is sown into hearts. The hard pathway represents the hard hearts of those who hear the word of God, but the slanderer quickly snatches away what was sown in their hearts to keep them from believing and experiencing salvation.

As a Pastor, I have the honor of teaching God’s Word and observing the spiritual journey of those who I provide spiritual coaching. Each disciple have their unique spiritual story, but one common path they all share is that the road to becoming a disciple of Jesus has challenges that must be overcome in order to be shaped or formed into Christ’s image.

The question that we are considering in these classes on spiritual conditioning is, how did Jesus shape the lifestyles of His disciples so that their discipleship was modeled after His example? By understanding and applying Jesus’ teaching and training model we, as modern-day disciples of Jesus, have a spiritual conditioning plan to follow so that we too are shaped into Christ’s image thereby getting into and remaining in Discipleshape.

Jesus primary teaching technique was to illustrate a spiritual truth by telling stories or parables. Some of the stories were true and others were metaphors or human messages with a heavenly meaning, called parables. The Parable of the Soils is a message that Jesus shared which describes the four different responses of the human heart once the seed or truth of God’s Word is planted in their conscience awareness. Jesus was saying the quality of a disciples’ belief system will be determined by one’s willingness and openness of their mind to believe God’s Word. This will determine the level of their spiritual growth and development over a period of time.

The first soil Jesus mentions paints a bleak picture of someone who the Prophet in Isaiah 6:9-10, refers to as one who has ears to hear but refuses to listen. In Luke 8:12, Jesus describes the soil condition of their heart this way, “those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.” The first soil Jesus refers to is a heart or attitude that is completely closed to receiving the truth of God’s Word. The soil of their heart has been so beaten down and walked on it has become hardened to their willingness to be open to God’s truth. As a result, Jesus said that the birds who prey on these kinds of individuals come and remove the seed from the possibility of germinating into a healthy plant.

Do you know someone that you would consider so hard- headed or stubborn they are totally unwilling to be convinced of something that is so obvious to everyone else in the room? Their unwillingness to be open to another perspective is often an indication of other areas of their life that they have closed the door to opportunities and possibilities for a productive life. Jesus did not share the circumstances that produced the hardened condition of the hard-hearted individual, but perhaps they have a story that is filled with abuse where they were physically or emotionally beaten down and walked on to the point they shut the door to anyone and anything that tried to enter their life to build a bridge of truth and hope. Jesus named to the one who takes advantages of broken of people. Like “birds of prey” the Devil, or the Evil One comes to seek to steal, kill and destroy ones’ divine purpose and potential.

But the good news there is hope for even those who find themselves in this spiritual condition, it is when someone like me and you PRAY. People who pray believes that with God all things are possible and prayer and can shoot the birds of prey out of the sky, allowing God to open the closed heart to the truth of His Word.

QUESTION

Do you know of someone whose heart is hardened to God’s truth? If you do, stop and prey that God will destroy the birds that prey on this individual’s life and that God will soften their heart to his love and grace. Are their areas that your heart is hardened to a truth in God’s Word? Perhaps it is a person who has hurt you and you have closed your heart to the possibility of forgiving them. If this is your story, stop and ask God to soften your heart to the possibility of forgiving someone who has hurt you.

PRAYER

Jesus, I confess that in my spiritual journey I struggle with the willingness to becoming vulnerable to You and others so that I can truly believe with a confident trust that I am loved and cared for. Forgive my stubborn ways that have kept me blinded to the light of your truth. Please soften my heart as I open my heart to you and ask for your strength to take my next step of faith, Amen.

I BELIEVED IT FOR A WHILE

DAY SIX

Luke 8:6, Some fell on the gravel, and though they sprouted they couldn’t take root; it withered for lack of moisture. The seeds falling on gravel represents those who initially respond to the word with joy, but soon afterward, when a season of difficulty and harassment of the enemy comes to them, they wither and fall away, for they have no root in the truth and their faith is temporary.

I heard of a young man who convinced a young lady and her Pastor that he was deeply in love and wanted to spend the rest of this life with her. After pre-marital coaching, the Pastor committed to perform their wedding ceremony, and within one year, the young man has announced to his young bride, he wanted a divorce. When notified of the young man’s decision, the Minister called him and questioned him about the commitment he had made at the marriage altar. The young man’s response to the Pastor question was, “I meant it at the time.”

This young man’s response for his lack of follow through to the vows he had made is a picture of someone whose heart conditions is compared by Jesus to rocky soil with a shallow root system.

Jesus describes it this way, “some (seed) fell on the gravel, and though they sprouted they couldn’t take root; it withered for lack of moisture.” I have seen plants and weeds that have been able to find enough moisture and soil to begin to grow in rocky soil. But it did not take much strength to pull them up because they lacked a deep root system. Individuals who spiritual condition typified by rocky soil have a very shallow faith and with time, they are back to their old lifestyle. It can be very confusing for someone who is watching this person from the time they professed their faith in Jesus. Jesus describes them in verse 13 as someone who initially respond to the word with joy. This rocky hearted person was often on the first row of the Church, and it appeared to be totally committed to being a dedicated disciple of Jesus. But, little by little, something happened, and their excitement for spiritual health like a flame extinguished. Their commitment to spiritual health and wholeness defaulted to the practices of their former lifestyle. What happened?

Jesus gives the answer this way, “they that received the seed of God’s Word for a period of time, but with time, the pressures of temptation was greater than the depth of their commitment.” This individual, when confronted with the challenges of life bites into the bait set by Satan by yielding to temptation. James describes it this way in 1:13-15, When you are tempted don’t ever say, “God is tempting me,” for God is incapable of being tempted by evil and he is never the source of temptation. Instead, it is each person’s own desires and thoughts that drag them into evil and lure them away into darkness. Evil desires give birth to evil actions. And when sin is fully mature it can murder you!

What was the bait that Satan used to steal the young man’s affection from the young bride he pledged to love “till death do us part?” Perhaps it was an attraction like Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden to partake of the “forbidden fruit.” Perhaps after the excitement of the wedding and honeymoon, his emotional and spiritual immaturity was revealed. The sad reality is that whatever temptations “rocked” this marriage, Satan can use; to destroy one’s initial love for Christ. A pop rock song made famous by the singer Neil Diamond compared love that went wrong as “Love on the Rocks.”

QUESTION

What temptations does Satan use to steal your zeal for Christ and love for the seed of God’s Word. If you are not nurturing and giving attention to your faith what do you need to do to give intentional attention to your spiritual conditioning?

PRAYER

Jesus you see my heart. Thank you for loving me enough to show me the areas of my life that are weak and vulnerable to temptation. I invite you to come and give me the power to resist the bait of temptation that the evil one sets as traps to destroy my love for you and a desire for spiritual health and well-being. I make a fresh commitment to remove stones that keep my faith shallow, and I resolve to greater depth of spiritual growth and development. Amen.

I BELIEVE IT AS LONG AS...

DAY SEVEN

Luke 8:7, Other seeds fell where there was nothing but weeds. They too were unable to grow to full maturity, for the weeds choked them out. (V. 14), The seeds that fall into the weeds represents the hearts of those who hear the word of God, but their growth is quickly choked off by their own anxious cares, the riches of this world, and the fleeting pleasures of this life. This is why they never become mature and fruitful.

It was a very happy day in the life of a congregation in Ohio. This growing faith community had gathered to celebrate the 20 years of faithful service of their beloved Pastor. A shock wave swept over the congregation when the Pastor stood, not to celebrate but to confess that he was resigning. Here are his words, “I am resigning because I allowed weeds to grow in my heart.” The story was soon revealed that he had made bad choices that disqualified him as a spiritual leader of that congregation.

Jesus speaks of another kind of soil of the human heart where thorns and weeds take over the garden and choke out the seed of God’s Word that has been planted. There are three kinds of weeds Jesus names, the weeds of the pursuit for power, for pleasure, and for possessions. Does those three weeds sound familiar. They are the same three temptations Jesus faced in the wilderness in Luke 4. It is the three sins that John describes as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride of life.

The Passion Translation describes those three weeds in 1 John 2 15-17 this way, “Don’t set the affections of your heart on this world or in loving the things of the world. The love of the Father and the love of the world are incompatible. For all that the world can offer us the gratification of our flesh, the allurement of the things of the world, and the obsession with status and importance none of these things come from the Father but from the world. This world and its desires are in the process of passing away, but those who love to do the will of God live forever.

A heart that is crowded with self is a small heart with a big ego. It has been said that the word ego is an acrostic for Edging God Out. At the root of a heart that has edged God out are addictive obsessions that cannot get enough money, sex or power to satisfy their craving for more and more is never enough. Jesus offers a better alternative, and His option is counter cultural to todays’ culture. Today’s culture says, live for today and live for number 1 which is another of saying, “life is not about we; it is about me.” This philosophy of life never ends well, it always leads to a dead end of broken hearts, torn relationships and emptiness. Jesus’ alternative is to pull out the weeds of the self-life and surrender yourself to following Jesus’ health and wellness plan. It is called discipleship or getting into Discipleshape.

QUESTION

Which weeds of sin are choking out the seeds of God’s truth in my heart? Is it the pursuit of power or to be in control, for possessions or more stuff, or for pleasure that provides temporary gratification but has become addictive and is placing me in a bondage I cannot break? What do I need to do to find help and to address the selfless lifestyle that is destroying so many areas of my life? Who do I know that needs help in these areas of their life and what can I do to help them?

PRAYER

Lord, my prayer is the one that the Psalmist prayed in Psalms 139:1, Lord, you know everything there is to know about me. You perceive every movement of my heart and soul, and you understand my every thought before it even enters my mind. God, I invite your searching gaze into my heart. Examine me through and through; find out everything that may be hidden within me. Put me to the test and sift through all my anxious cares. See if there is any path of pain I’m walking on, and lead me back to your glorious, everlasting way—the path that brings me back to you. Amen.

I BELIEVE IT, I REALLY DO

DAY EIGHT

Luke 8:4, Massive crowds gathered from many towns to hear Jesus, and he taught them using metaphors and parables, such as this: Yet some of the seeds fell into good, fertile soil, and they grew and flourished until they produced more than a hundredfold harvest, a bumper crop.” Then Jesus added, shouting out to all who would hear, “Listen with your heart and you will understand!” The seed that fell into good, fertile soil represents those lovers of truth who hear it deep within their hearts. They respond by clinging to the word, keeping it dear as they endure all things in faith. This is the seed that will one day bear much fruit in their lives.”

Believe is a power word that releases an energy to our since of confidence. The seed of faith begins to germinate when we can say with confidence, I do believe that God’s Word is true because I intellectually understand it with my mind, but I also make it part of my daily lifestyle. This is when discipleship takes shape and spiritual growth begins. Jesus said that it is only within fertile soil of the seedbed of one’s faith, that God’s Word can produce growth to full spiritual fruitfulness and maturity. Jesus defined spiritual fertile soil as one who is a lover of His truth and they cling to it, keeping it dear as they endure all things in faith.

Ihave had the honor of knowing followers of Jesus who has a seasoned faith. They have shared with me stories related to seasons in their life when they endured some stormy weather, but their faith remained strong. The key to their spiritual endurance was they believed the teaching of God’s Word that was planted in their heart like a seed in the ground, but they practiced or lived out the truth on a daily basis. Jesus said this is the seed that will bear much fruit.

The ultimate sign of a healthy plant or tree is its ability to bear fruit by reproducing itself. The Apostle Paul names the kinds of spiritual fruit that becomes obvious in the life of a spiritual and emotionally health believer as they model it for others to imitate. Paul's writing about the fruit of the Spirit or the character of Christ is found in Galatians 5: 22-23 (NIV), but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Each of these godly character qualities are strengthened by taking the teaching we have learned and applying it through doing what the Apostle Paul told his son in the faith, Timothy to do in 1 Timothy 4:8, “train yourself in godliness” .

A healthy spiritual heart is able to say with confidence that Jesus is the only way and truth that leads to eternal life. It is this kind of disciple that daily places into practice the lifegiving principles that Jesus taught His disciples. The rest of our spiritual conditioning times together will provide some practical training that will assist you in getting and remaining in DISCIPLESHAPE.

QUESTION

What areas of my life needs attention when it comes to bearing healthy character related to the fruit of the Holy Spirit? Am I reproducing myself in the life of someone else and helping them to grow in their faith. If not, what do I need to do to become a spiritual teacher/trainer?

PRAYER

Lord, thank you for helping me grow to the level of Spiritual maturity that I have achieved at this point in my spiritual journey. Give me greater wisdom and understanding of how to become more fruitful in my godly character and give me clarity of how to help others growth in their faith as well. Amen.

YOU LIVE IT

DO YOU WANT TO SEE?

Matthew 22:34-40, Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. ’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

There is always two parts to a physical conditioning plan. There is the teaching part where the idea is presented and explained. Information is the primary key to this area of this section. Then there is the training section where the teacher demonstrates how to apply what has been taught. This “Live it” section of our spiritual conditioning plan will be foundational to your spiritual development. One of the keys to the discipleship process is to discover how Jesus shaped the faith of his followers. This process is often referred to as spiritual formation, holy habits, spiritual rhythms, practicing the way of Jesus or the rule of life. This spiritual conditioning plan up to this point has placed its primary focus on the teachings of Jesus or the seed of God’s Word that brings spiritual life and health. This section is a focus on living it out now that you see it and believe it. Teaching is the starting place to Discipleshape but training unto godliness occurs as we place into practice the teaching we believe.

Jesus’s teachings were so voluminous that if they were all written down there would not be enough volumes to capture the depth of His wisdom. However, the sermon Jesus taught on the Mount of Olives in Matthew 5-7, captures the foundation for building a strong faith. All of the themes He introduced can be summarized in three categories and they fulfill the call to obedience of the Great Commandment. The first command is to cultivate a loving relationship with God with our whole being, to cultivate a loving relationship with those who we are connected such as friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers, but also to cultivate a loving relationship with ourselves. This third category is one that is not often viewed as one to be considered within the Discipleshape plan. But in the world of discipleship, the instruction that is given by the airline attendance before takeoff applies to spiritual conditioning. You know the line, “In the event of a drop in cabin air pressure apply the oxygen mask to your face before you attempt to assist someone else with theirs.” So, your soul care is critical to your ability to love and serve God and others.

I would suggest the following spiritual practices be made part of your spiritual conditioning plan. Practicing the spiritual habit of prayer, the reading, study and memorization of scripture and fasting or abstaining from food are keys to cultivating your relationship with God. Practicing the spiritual rhythm of serving, generosity, and fellowship are instrumental to cultivating a healthy relationship with the large community where God has planted you. Silence, solitude, and practicing the Sabbath is some spiritual disciplines that Jesus taught and modeled for His disciples to imitate. There are others spiritual practices that could be listed but for our time together we will focus on these 9 areas. So let the training begin.

QUESTIONS

How does the idea of spiritual training resonate with you. Of the practices that were listed which ones seem to be the most intimidating, the most compelling or the most important to know more about?

PRAYER

Dear Jesus thank you for teaching words that bring spiritual life to me but also for demonstrating them to your disciples by modeling it for them to see. Give me the spiritual stamina I need to be a doer of your word and not just a hearer. I am committed to being the healthiest disciple I can be in order to reach my fullest divine potential so that I may bring glory and honor to your name. Amen.

PART I:

1 Timothy 4:8 (NLT), “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.”

Properly swinging a golf club is always an academic exercise until the golf pro move from the teaching phase to the demonstration or training phase. A golf pro can speak eloquently about the importance of addressing the ball with the proper distance between you and the ball along with the right span between your feet in your stance, the proper grip on the club and, the importance of the back swing and follow through with the sweeping hip action, sounds impressive, but try doing this using words alone as your guide to a great golf stroke is futile. It is not till you take the golf club in your hands and break down every step in slow motion that the golf swing moves from your head to your hands that the information is made visible by the demonstration.

In the spiritual realm, teaching about the need and why it is wise to cultivate a relationship with God by connecting with Him through prayer, the scripture and fasting is helpful to our theological understanding. But Jesus did more than teach theology, but he modeled each of these holy habits for His disciples to observe and moved this spiritual discipline from ought to, to how to. Today we have the gift of the internet and other kinds of teaching/training tools that can be utilized if needed.

The Holy Habit of prayer is a practice that God established as a means to connect with the Holy Trinity’s presence. In its simplest form, prayer is both talking to God and listening to Him speak back to us through our encounter with the Holy Spirit and the Holy scriptures. There are many kinds or types of prayer that our brief time together will not permit me to cover the diverse traditions and techniques of historical Christianity. Here are three simple steps to get started in a lifestyle of prayer. One, just talk to Jesus like He is in the room and tell Him whatever is on your heart, the glad, the bad and the sad. Don’t hold back, just tell God what you need, how you feel and what you think about whatever is on your mind. Two, pray the Psalms and allow David’s prayers repentance, confusion, frustration and praise to become your prayer. Or purchase a book of prayers and allow others demonstrate for you how they express their heart to God. Three, take time to stop talking and just listen and wait for the Holy Spirit to communicate in your thoughts a message you feel God would say to you if you could physically see and hear him. Talk to a spiritual coach and ask them how they hear God speak to them through the scriptures and the voice of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Habit of reading, the study and memorization of Scripture opens us to connecting with God’s Wisdom. One of the spiritual practices that has been effective in building faith muscles is what is known as Lectio Divina. This is a way of reading scripture that is reflective, meditative, receptive and responsive. Each step of Lectio Divinia is like a golf swing, to practice this discipline each step needs to be practiced slowly. Studying scripture in a systematic way is a key to spiritual growth. There is a diversity of ways to study the bible. Here are three ideas for study the Bible. One, choose a respected study Bible that gives step by step direction for how to utilize its study tools. Two, use a Bible App that provides both teaching and pictorial illustration and demonstration on how to do unique biblical biographical characters, book of the Bible, a particular theme or topic and other kinds of Bible study methods. Three, memorizing scripture is one of the primary ways to make the Bible part of your words, thoughts and behavior. Scripture memorization takes patience but start with one verse. Take a course on how to memorize anything and make God’s Word a weapon in your hand like Jesus did in Luke 4 when he quoted scripture as a response to Satan’s temptation in the Wilderness.

The Holy Habit of Fasting from natural food is a tool for connecting with the power of God to providing supernatural strength over sin, self and Satan. Dr. Luke, one of the gospel writers, who recorded the 40 days of fasting Jesus practiced while facing extreme weather conditions and demonic assaults; reveals the power if God that is released when denying the flesh in order to feed the spiritual connection with God is lived out. The Bible is replete with a theology of why God chose to use fasting as a expected practice

by His people. Fast days was a reoccurring practice on the Jewish calendar. Jesus’ teaching on the Mount of Olives did not say if you fast, rather He said, “when” you fast, which is an implication that the voluntary abstaining from eating food for spiritual purposes is an expected discipline of every disciple. Because there are different kinds of fasts outlined in scripture, a study of the types of fasts will provide a variety of approaches to self-denial. For instance, the Old Testament Prophet Daniel, abstained from certain kinds of foods and chose to deny himself what is called, “pleasant bread” or what we may refer to as a dessert. It does not take a deep theology lesson to practice saying no to a meal and spending that time in prayer or meditation.

QUESTIONS

Which one of the Holy Habits are you willing to begin to seek to gain a greater understanding of how to practice it as a lifestyle? What are the next steps for you to begin this spiritual conditioning practice?

PRAYER

Lord I desire to have a greater connection with you so today I may a fresh commitment to consecrate myself to practice these Holy Habits in order to increase my spiritual appetite for spiritual things but most of all for you. Amen.

YOU LIVE IT, HERE’S HOW PART II:

Luke 10:25-37, On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him. “Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

As a child I learned a little poem that was quoted by my father who was Pastor when he was speaking about the challenges that come with trying to love the people in our lives that we don’t like. Here it is, “to live above with those we love, oh that will be glory, but to live below with those we know, will that’s another story.” Loving people who we like or don’t like is one way we build spiritual muscles as we practice the lifestyle of Jesus. Jesus said that the second greatest commandment is obeyed as we seek to cultivate a loving relationship with those who we are connected with such as friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers, and on occasions individuals we may not know but who is in need. Practicing the spiritual rhythm of serving, generosity, and fellowship are instrumental to cultivating a healthy relationship with the large community where God has planted you.

The parable of the Good Samaritan that Jesus told in Luke 10:25-37 is a beautiful picture of how practicing the second great commandment looks in living color. A man who had been beaten, robbed and left for dead in a ditch is discovered by a Samaritan who passed him on the side of the road. Other religious leaders had ignored him like he was one of those invisible people with signs on the street corner. But something within the heart of the man from Samaria compelled him to do something beyond offering a prayer and moving on. He told it upon himself to get him medical help, a hotel room and living expenses while he recouped from his tragedy. In one act of loving kindness, this Samaritan demonstrated generosity, servanthood and fellowship. Be assured these two men became lifelong friends after sharing in this difficult injustice.

Developing a spiritual rhythm of generosity is God’s way of reminding us it is not about me it is about we or about others in the community. When we give of our time talent and money, there is something that happens inside of our heart. Our heart of love grows bigger as we make room for someone who we have been an answer to their prayer. When we use our time and energy to serve, yes as Jesus said, the least of these or today we would use the words, the vulnerable, we do it unto Jesus. When you befriend someone who is sitting alone and invites them to your table, you honor and validate their dignity which says regardless of your title, wealth or fame, I recognize you bear the image of God.

In this day of tribalism, and other isms that divide families, friends and neighbors, Jesus both taught and trained His disciples to use the towel and basin and wash feet like He did in the upper room, the night before his crucifixion at the Last Supper. There are many ways to demonstrate and carry out serving within the community you live, so making a list of to give yourself away in civic and Christian service is a good start.

The goal of servanthood and generosity has a bigger mission that just meeting a need, it is developing friendships or as some would say, “fellowship” within the faith community. Solomon says it this way in Proverbs 27:17, As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. These three spiritual practices will sharpen your spiritual witness for Christ and shape you into Christs’ likeness as well.

QUESTIONS

What is one way I can give away some time and money to someone in financial need or some ministry that is serving the broken? What keeps me from being more engaged with my time and talent within the civic and faith community? What are the next steps to correct that area of my discipleship?

PRAYER

esus, one of the things that hold me back from giving away of my time, energy and money to others is the fear that I will exhaust my resources and I will be left in need. My scarcity mindset has limited my faith to believe that it is true that it is more blessed to give than it is to receive and that you said that when I give you would make it up in other ways. Forgive my selfishness, and my lack of faith. Give me the courage to begin a lifestyle of generosity, servanthood and fellowship with those I meet in my discipleship journey. Amen.

YOU LIVE IT, HERE’S HOW PART III:

Psalms 23:1, The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul:

Pastor Peter Scazzero has written a classic breakthrough book called, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. His premise for this discipleship manual rests on this postulate, “it is impossible to be spiritually mature while remaining emotionally immature.” He believes that the antidote to emotional immaturity and one of the keys to spiritual maturity is contemplative practices that produce spiritual and emotional health.

A popular term that speaks to cultivate a loving relationship with ourselves is soul care. Our soul is our self-awareness that is revealed in our mind (thoughts), emotions (feelings), and our decisions (choices). Silence, solitude, and practicing the Sabbath is some spiritual disciplines that Jesus taught and modeled for His disciples to imitate as spiritual disciplines that produce a healthy disciple. Another pop culture term to describe someone who is well balanced in the areas of their life is, well-being.

Jesus did not say, “come unto me all you who are weary and heavy laden with the weight of the world on your shoulders, and I will give you a nervous breakdown. His invitation was for us to come to Him and find rest for our souls. Three ways that Jesus modeled the practice of soul care was the practice of solitude.

Did you ever notice that the disciples were always looking for Jesus. After a long search they would find him alone. He understood that the pressure that comes with daily activities that often include people with problems and needs, required a place where he could “come apart, so He did not physically and emotionally fall apart. Aa a culture we have become addicted to noise and busyness. These two enemies of the soil are ways to distract us from paying attention to what is happening in the inside of our thoughts, feelings and choices. The spiritual practice of solitude for spiritual reflection and rest is a God’s way of restoring your soul.

Silence, is a practice that screams at us when we are alone unless we are wired for sound that connects us with voices and messages that bellow from the internet and other digital devices that keeps us stimulated. The Psalmist David knew that quiet waters were cathartic tools for calming our emotions and slowing down our pace and pulse. Notice lying down and resting is also mentioned as a tool for restoring the soul. This is why God made “keeping a Sabbath Day” practice of the Big Ten Commandments. Take a fresh look at the 10 Commandments recorded in Exodus 20, written on tablets of stone by the finger of God. The longest commandment of the ten is the command to take one day a week to restore the soul. It us called Sabbath rest. The Sabbath was more than about the day you rested and renewed your soul as it was about what you did to restore your soul. The Jewish Sabbath became more about rules and religious traditions than about the intended purpose of the Sabbath which was to use one day a week to free God’s people from the obsession with busyness and mindless activity.

My ritual for a Sabbath practice is to Stop and unplug from all duties, electronics and demands that drain my emotional, mental and physical energy. Take time to decompress, relax and recover from the hectic pace of the week. Use the gift of food, fun, friends, family and faith filled activities to restore my soul. Resting and reflecting on the goodness of God and enjoying God though meaning music and nature is also tools God uses to recreate my inner strength.

QUESTIONS

What are you doing to love yourself enough to plan a day for rest, recreation, and renewal? What messages conveyed in this call to soul care are the most convicting, inspiring and compelling?

PRAYER

Dear Jesus, I hear your voice calling to me to follow you to come away for a time to rest and renew my soul. Today, I ask for your wisdom and guidance on how to develop a plan that will direct my life in a way that brings joy to my heart and rest to by body and soul. In Jesus Name, Amen.

YOU MAKE IT A HABIT

YOU MAKE IT A HAB(IT), AS YOU WATCH ME

1 Corinthians 11: 1, I want you to pattern your lives after me, just as I pattern mine after Christ. And I give you full credit for always keeping me in mind as you carefully follow the substance of my instructions that I’ve taught you.

In this section we will explore the discipleship style that Jesus used to train His disciples. In each step whenever the word me is used it is referring to the spiritual teacher/trainer and when the word you is used, it is in reference to the apprentice or disciple.

It was understood In the Jewish culture that Jesus lived that the idea of discipleship inferred an apprentice model of learning. It was not the type of academic model where you sit and listen to a lecture from a professor and then take a test based on the information that was communicated; and it was over. Our modern-day trades school model that occurs within the building trades is comparable to the Rabbi or master teacher/trainer and the disciple or apprentice relationship of Jesus day. Yes, the Rabbi taught the disciple from the Torah, but the Jesus kind of discipleship took it a step further, from teaching of information to training through demonstration.

The Apostle Paul was a Master teacher/trainer to men like Timothy and Titus, so he could say to them, “do as I do in the same way I pattern my life after Christ. Many of the lessons that Jesus communicated to His 12 disciples was more “caught” by watching how Jesus lived, than taught or by listening to lectures.

One of the key teaching techniques Jesus used was what educators called, the anticipatory style. It is learning by asking questions. It is believed that Jesus asked over 300 questions that was recorded in scripture, and many of them was His response to someone’s query. The parables that Jesus taught his disciples would often be followed by one of the disciples saying what does this story mean and how does it apply to our life? One of the keys to spiritual growth is remaining inquisitive and seeking a greater understanding of the basic truth. Don’t hesitate to ask your spiritual mentor “hard” questions that some may view “off limits.” God is not offended by your questions, even Jesus while hanging on the cross asked His Heavenly Father the “why” question, “why have You forsaken me?”

In a training process, making sure that you are focusing on the right thing and following through the right way is important and the teaching/training journey in the music world is a great example. Music instructors that train people on how to sing or play an instrument will attest to the fact, their students have developed some bad habits because they did not take the time to learn the proper technique on how to break down in steps a playing or singing composition. Habitually practicing the proper technique or beginning with the right posture, using the correct fingers placed on right piano keys will over time will move from starts and stops to a performing a smooth concerto. But the journey begins by watching the piano teacher play the music piece and then taking the music home and practicing.

The holy habit of fasting is a good example of understanding how to prepare, practice and finish a time of extended fasting successfully. Not understanding some basic things about the digestive process and what to do and not do can be detrimental to your body, but it can also be an experience that leaves you discouraged from attempting one again. So, when you practice the spiritual discipline of fasting for spiritual reasons, connect with someone who has experience in this area and ask them to lead you in this spiritual conditioning exercise. Fasting is but one spiritual discipline that needs good information but also some basic training so that fasting one mean may one day lead to a longer time of spiritual consecration.

I have a son who is learning to ride a bicycle. He is learning the rules of the road and all that goes with speed and safety. I have noticed that after all of the teaching and talking when it comes to training, he gets distracted, and I have to stop him and say follow me. The other day after one of those conversations I could hear him behind me repeating to himself what I had just told him, “follow me.” Jesus the master teacher, who told him disciples to follow Him, has a master teacher chosen for you, find them and then, follow them as they follow Christ.

QUESTIONS

Whose is your spiritual coach that trains with you on a personal basis? If you do not have one, why not and what are your next steps to be connected with someone. Who do you admire and what would you ask this spiritual coach to assist you in your holy habits.

PRAYER

Lord, please give me someone in my life to help me to make spiritual conditioning a lifestyle. Give me the wisdom and willingness to stretch my faith muscles and begin to address areas of my life that need me to practice holy habits that will replace those bad habits with ones that will bring glory to your name. Amen.

YOU MAKE IT A HAB(IT), AS YOU HELP ME

DAY FOURTEEN

Practice, practice and more practice is the key to creating what fitness trainers call muscle memory. What happens is that habitually using a muscle over time will strengthen that area of your body so that when the muscle is needed, it automatically provides the power you need to accomplish your goal. People training for a marathon will tell you that before they set the goal to run a 26.2-mile race, they wondered if they had what it took to finish a marathon. I had the privilege of watching my father just before he turned 60 years old run his first of three marathons.

In this step of discipleship training, it is important to understand that watching a seasoned professional do something with ease can be somewhat intimidating. This is why a good discipleship maker knows how to provide the right amount instruction and training assignments so that you do not become overwhelmed and tempted to quit.

So, the key is also to be patient with yourself. Keep the long game in mind. Like a marathon you start training by running very slowly a few miles at the beginning of the journey. However, doing this a few days a week along with cross-training will increase muscle strength. Within a few weeks, my father was running double digit miles each Saturday. I will never forget the Saturday I was sitting in the Akron Areos baseball stadium when I saw my father coming toward the finish line. I was a little choked up, not because I was running and trying to swallow water, but because I knew that my father had made running conditioning a priority and the payoff was he took a metal home.

The Apostle Paul uses the idea of running a race in 1 Corinthians 9:24-26. He says, run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore, I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. Although, the Apostle Paul was trained young ministers like Timothy, he practiced his own preaching. In the closing period of Paul’s life, he writes a letter to his apprentice, Timothy, these words in 2 Timothy 4:7-8, 7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Remember you are not alone in this spiritual conditioning experience. God has place in your life teachers and trainers who will help you and do it with you. Stay in the race, running through the finish line will make it worth all that you have endured and persevered.

QUESTIONS

Do I have a servant heart and if not why? Is there a sense of spiritual consumerism in my life that gives me a sense of spiritual entitlement so that I am more a taker than giver?

PRAYER

Lord strip me of anything that would hold me back from full surrender to that of a servant. Give me a will to push beyond my present level of service to you and to others. Show me what I need to give and give up in order that I am a leader and first to come to full commitment to your discipleship plan for me. Amen.

YOU MAKE IT A HAB(IT), AS I HELP YOU

1 Timothy, in the presence of our great God and our Lord Jesus Christ, the One who is destined to judge both the living and the dead by the revelation of his kingdom I solemnly instruct you to proclaim the Word of God and stand upon it no matter what! Preach in the full expression of the Holy Spirit with wisdom and patience as you instruct and teach the people. For the time is coming when they will no longer listen and respond to the healing words of truth because they will become selfish and proud. They will seek out teachers with soothing words that line up with their desires, saying just what they want to hear.

This is the third stage of spiritual coaching where the teacher/trainer pivots and gives the apprentice the tools and greater freedom to test their level of spiritual development. It is at this stage of spiritual training that some disciples struggle. In today’s scripture lesson The Apostle Paul was sharing with his protégé, Timothy, that when discipling, there will be those who will no longer listen and will not respond positively to spiritual coaching. In athletics, most coaches can quickly recognize an athlete who stops developing as a player because they are more interested in playing by their rules and because of their pride and selfishness, resist coaching. Paul tells Timothy when he is confronted with this kind of disciple to use wisdom and patience, but to also remain firm in His instruction.

Pride is often one of the main attitudes that is the motivation behind this kind of spiritual resistance. However, there are other kind of challenges that are present that if the apprentice is not made aware they can resist the teacher/trainer and the result they go one step forward and two steps backward in their spiritual conditioning. One challenge that is not often considered is, there is always a learning curve in any new practice or skill someone is attempting to develop. Disciples can become impatient with the process and stop making the holy habits part of their walk with Christ. Both the teacher/trainer and the apprentice must be patient with the discipleship journey.

Two, spiritual conditioning is like physical conditioning, breaking bad habits and beginning good ones is not always easy. The big theological term for this spiritual Discipleshape process is sanctification. Remember when we become a disciple or follower of Jesus, our sins are forgiven, but we carry with us into our new life in Christ, emotional baggage, issues and bad habits that need to be addressed. It is the spiritual coach’s responsibility to call our areas of the apprentice life that is hindering their spiritual growth and assist them in addressing things that are hindering their walk with Christ and witness for Christ. The key to spiritual maturation is to keep practicing the holy habits and to stay disciplined to the spiritual formation plan that requires endurance, patience and teachability.

The Apostle Paul named one of his helpers who no longer was willing to accept the guidance of Paul’s spiritual leadership. In 2 Timothy 4:10 he speaks of Demas, a disciple who abandoned their ministry relationship. The Bible is not clear about all of the reasons Demas was no longer committed to their relationship, but the passage suggests that Demas loved the things of the world more than his commitment to spiritual development. Perhaps Demas was battling some old habits that the Apostle Paul observed as He was observing his faith walk.

As a Pastor, I too have observed the Demas’s under my spiritual leadership choose another path, but the good news most of the time this is not the story of those who desire a greater love for Christ. It is my joy to baptize many followers of Jesus and watch them remain faithful to the spiritual conditioning practices we give training to at One Church. It is my desire that these 21 spiritual conditioning sessions will inspire you to keep growing and to take the last step to getting into Discipleshape, your teacher/trainer watches you as you now disciple others.

QUESTIONS

Do you consider yourself a teachable disciple or does your questions get in the way of trusting someone to lead you? Are you someone that asks questions as a student with a desire to learn or a inquisitor who is more focused on debating?

PRAYER

Lord, sometimes my pride gets in the way of allowing others to help me. Reveal to me my heart so that I know when I resistance to ask for help is tied to self sufficiency and other things that are hidden in my heart. Amen.

YOU MAKE IT A HAB(IT), AS I WATCH YOU

DAY SIXTEEN

Luke 9: 1, And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.

Luke 10:1, After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Although discipleship is not a destination but a journey, there is a time in the journey where a disciple moves from dependence on a coach at the same level of spiritual guidance they have experienced. They have been disciple shaped or formed to the level that they now have enough understanding and practice that now the apprentice is ready to “go and make disciples”, but the leader is still watching, ready to provide spiritual guidance when needed.

This kind of discipleship model happens routinely within the sports world. Head coaches or former professional athletes will sponsor their own sports camp for young emerging beginner athletes to come for a time of instruction and preparation for the sport they aspire to participate in. Who do these coaches invite to assist them to work with these young boys and girls as their assistants? You already know, it is former athletes who have remained diligent to apply the information they were taught and continued the habit of practicing the disciplines that shaped them into the college or professional athlete they are today.

In the life of Jesus, we see this principle and practice modeled with His disciples. For three years Jesus spent much time with them both teaching and explaining the truth and then training through demonstrating the principle. In Luke 9 we see Jesus commissioned and sent out his original 12 disciples but by Luke 10 Jesus disciples have now multiplied to 72 disciples. He now sends them forth in verse 1 and they come back and reported the good news that the truth Jesus taught them, and they were practicing was working. Notice, that Jesus went back into his coaching role, He commended them for carrying out their assignment but followed it up with a correction. Jesus knew that spiritual authority and results can produce a sense of pride and self-importance. He reminded them that their joy must be grounded in knowing they had a relationship with God and their names are written down in Heaven.

Yes, discipleship is a lifelong journey because we never stop learning and growing. Just because someone takes drivers training and gets their driver’s license does not mean this equips them to drive a 18-wheeler transport truck. Now that is another skill set that is needed along with an understanding of how to drive a truck that measures anywhere from 53 to 59.6 feet rather than a car whose size is significantly less.

QUESTIONS

What do you think that you need to do whereby you feel you are ready to begin to disciple another person? What is the discipling tools you would use if someone asked you to be their discipleship coach? What are the next steps that you need to take to become a spiritual leader to help someone get into Discipleshape?

PRAYER

Lord I am yours. I heard you calling me to follow you and I am. I desire to go and make disciples. Give me clarity as to what I need to do to make disciples a lifestyle. Amen.

YOU MAKE IT A HAB(IT), AS I HELP YOU

DAY SEVENTEEN

Mark 4:26, He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head.

John 12: 24-25, Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

In our series of teaching on spiritual development, I have been using different educational examples and learning disciplines in our spiritual Discipleshape lessons to illustrate spiritual development. In this final series of teaching, I will use the foundation for our biblical understanding of these principles are from Jesus’ teachings from the world of agriculture. Jesus compared the death of a physical seed of corn as an illustration of how His death on the cross would be a spiritual seed that would die and be resurrected into a new life. This was also an example of how one’s faith in Christ grows as the seed of God’s Word is planted in the good soil of one’s heat of faith.

In case you didn’t notice the title of each step in our spiritual conditioning class that leads to DISCIPLESHAPE, ended with the two-letter word, IT. The first step to getting into DISCIPLESHAPE was, YOU SEE IT, the second is, YOU BELIEVE IT, the third step is, YOU LIVE IT, the fourth is YOU MAKE IT A HAB(IT), and the end result is YOU BECOME IT. The IT FACTOR for Jesus spiritual conditioning plan for getting into DISCIPLESHAPE is Discipleship. It is the discipleship developmental journey that Jesus compares to the stages of growth that occurs when a plant is becoming fully mature or grown. The spiritual and natural growth process both begin with the planting of a seed.

In the parable of the soils, notice of the four soils that Jesus spoke of, the healthiness or quality of the soil was not dependent on the seed or the truth of God’s Word that was sown in the human heart. God’s Word is true and has the potential to produce faith that moves mountains even if the seed is as small as a grain of a mustard seed or is a minuscule size. Once the seed is planted, for a period of time it appears nothing is happening because there is no sign of life, but with time something breaks through the soil and the first sign of plant life appears.

In the natural realm, when the seed is sown it may not appear to have any visible sign that life is growing. But, beneath the ground there is a dynamic process that is occurring which is called germination. The seed is going through a death like process that is producing life by establishing a root system which is the first stage of a growth process. Before a baby is born, although unseen by the human eye, within the womb of the mother all that is needed to live outside the mother’s body is being created so that when the baby is born it can live.

The spiritual birth of a spiritual life is comparable to that of a human life. Once the seed of God’s Word is planted in the good soil of someone who has heard the truth, it may not be apparent that anything is occurring because there is no visible sign of spiritual life. But like the natural seed, there is a rooting process that is developing and that root of faith that is being formed must be tenderly nourished and protected. An Infant Christian are comparable to human baby, they are fragile, highly dependent on spiritual nurture and care. Like all babies they are living in a new environment so they are getting adjusted to sights and sounds that can be confusing because it is unfamiliar. It takes much patience and understanding to assist the infantile behavior of a spiritual newborn. Newborns instincts pulls everything their way and when they become toddlers and verbal, the words me and mine represents their nature.

I am indebted to Pastor Peter Scazzero for his description of an emotional spiritual infant. “They look for other people to take care of me emotionally and spiritually and often have difficulty in describing and experiencing their feelings. They can sometimes be perceived as inconsiderate and insensitive. When trials, hardships, or difficulties come, they want to quit God and the Christian life.” This is why spiritual newborns must be carefully loved and encouraged so that their faith muscles can grow strong, and they can begin to walk with greater strength and stability. The keys to an infant growing from a toddler to a child is the habitual, day by day, feeding of that developing person. Yes, the baby spits up and makes messy diapers but, with time, they are walking and running, and talking and learning and being formed into a grown-up person. So, it is with spiritual disciple. Spiritual infancy is expected, but spiritual growth occurs as they continue to feed on God’s Word and trusts the process of spiritual development.

QUESTIONS

Do you know someone who is a new believer that could use someone like you to help them with the challenges that comes with anything that is new and unfamiliar? If you are a spiritual newborn, who is someone who could walk with you for a season of time until you are spiritually rooted in your faith?

PRAYER

Lord, I thank you for your patience with me as I grow in my faith. Give me a greater understanding of your Word and the Christian way of living that Jesus modeled for His disciples. I need your constant assurance that when I make messes and fall while trying to walk by faith that you are there to pick me up. Amen.

AS YOU GROW THE HUSK OR HEAD YOU BECOME IT, DAY EIGHTEEN

Mark 4:26, He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain first the stalk, then the head…

There is always two parts to a physical conditioning plan. There is the teaching part where the idea is presented and explained. Information is the primary key to this area of this section. Then there is the training section where the teacher demonstrates how to apply what has been taught. This “Live it” section of our spiritual conditioning plan will be foundational to your spiritual development. One of the keys to the discipleship process is to discover how Jesus shaped the faith of his followers. This process is often referred to as spiritual formation, holy habits, spiritual rhythms, practicing the way of Jesus or the rule of life. This spiritual conditioning plan up to this point has placed its primary focus on the teachings of Jesus or the seed of God’s Word that brings spiritual life and health. This section is a focus on living it out now that you see it and believe it. Teaching is the starting place to Discipleshape but training unto godliness occurs as we place into practice the teaching we believe.

The stage where the head of the ear of corn is formed comes after a period of a series of tassel pollination, and often severe weather conditions related to wind, rain and other kinds of tests to its plant development. This is a good illustration of the physical, mental and emotional growth of someone who has moved from a child to an adolescent or youth. Like a stock of corn, they are growing arms and legs by what looks like inches per day. The voice goes under changes and something else is obvious, an independent, tough, resistant, and challenging young person to raise. They don’t just question everything, they know everything. The body is growing but their maturity does not always grow at the same pace and as a result Pastor Scazzero’s caricature of a spiritually emotional adolescent is revealing.

“I don’t like it when others question me. I often make quick judgments and interpretations of people’s behavior. I withhold forgiveness from those who sin against me, avoiding or cutting them off when they do something to hurt me. I subconsciously keep records on the love I give out. I have trouble really listening to another person’s pain, disappointments, or needs without becoming preoccupied with myself. I sometimes find myself too busy to spend adequate time nourishing my spiritual life. I attend church and serve others but enjoy few delights in Christ. My Christian life is still primarily about doing, not being with him. Prayer continues to be mostly me talking with little silence, solitude, or listening to God.”

Scazzero’s picture of this stage of faith can appear to be negative but behind the challenges is a person who is discovering things about their faith, their God and themselves that is very healthy in spiritual development. Every day as they lift those weighty questions and push up and down those doubts that rise, their spiritual muscles are being developed. Their spiritual disciplines that ae practiced as they read God’s Word, wrestles with temptations and wins, only moves them closer to getting into Discipleshape.

This is a critical stage in the development of an ear of corn, the life of a teenager and a spiritual young adult. It takes great wisdom and grace to allow a disciple at this stage in the development of there faith in God to have room to question, doubt and know that what they need is a safe place to grow without being uprooted and rejected.

QUESTIONS

What areas of adolescent faith did I relate to? What are the next steps for moving from a faith that all about doing or working for God to a faith that is being with God?

PRAYER

Lord, teach me how to take my spiritual energy and use it to serve others but most of all to spend time with you. Give me a great appetite for your words and not just for my own way. Where I am resistant to being surrendered to your will give me the grace to submit to the wisdom of those you have placed in my life. Amen.

AS IT DEVELOPS INTO A FULL EAR OF CORN IT BECOMES YOU

Mark 4:26, He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain, then the head on the stalk, and then the fully developed grain in the head.

We have come to the time in our spiritual conditioning course where we all desire to arrive, spiritual maturity or being well or wellbeing. Once again, it is important that you understand that spiritual growth is a lifelong process and not a destination. We never get there till we graduate into the presence of God and here those words well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joys of the Lord.

QUESTIONS

Now that I have considered the steps to spiritual growth am I all in?

PRAYER

Lord, I am all in, and now I am ready to do what is necessary to be a fully devoted disciple of Jesus. I know that it will not be easy but with your presence I know you will provide the power I need to stay in the race to the very end. Amen.

NIKE,

JUST DO IT DAY

Philippians 3:13-14, (KJV) Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Nike has a name brand that is recognized everywhere, and people wear their gear with pride. Nike was a mythological character who was the Greek goddess of victory or triumph. The Greek word, Nikao- nik-ah'-o speaks of the one who is victorious or one who wins. So, Nike’s message is you are the winner, just do it! Do what? Do it...WIN.

If you have not read Mark Wiskup’s book, The It Factor: Be the One People Like, Listen to, and Remember, do yourself a favor and give it a look. Mark’s message is there are unique who have the “IT” factor. Whatever it is, they have it and people want it. They “just do it” and they are the one people like, listen to and remember.

Jesus did something that no other Rabbi did in His day which was to invite everyone to become His disciple. To be invited by a Rabbi to follow him in an apprentice journey was rare, reserved for young men only and the demands to be selected was rigorous. But Jesus came along and had the IT FACTOR. His first 12 disciples were men who would have been unlikely candidates to be invited to follow a Rabbi. Someone called this rowdy bunch, The Dity Dozen. They were John Wayne types who came from diverse backgrounds. But Jesus saw something in each one that said, I want you on my team, and with two simple words He gave the invitation to. FOLLOW ME.

In one of Jesus last team meetings, He had with these world changers, He gave the Great Commission. Here it is, Matthew 28:16-20 (NIV), Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

The same Jesus who gave that commandment to his original disciples extends the same invitation to you and me. Now it is up to us. We understand Jesus’ conditioning plan to accomplish the IT FACTOR, it is called discipleship. We learned how to get into DISCIPLESHAPE and to stay spiritually and emotionally healthy. Now, it is time to follow the Apostle Paul’s example that our Bible verse in this closing conditioning session gave, “this one thing I DO.” What was that one thing, Paul said, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

My closing challenge to you is the same, don’t get stuck in your past life of failures where your spiritual life was two steps forward and one backwards. Leave that in yesterday and focus on today and look and the amazing things God has for you today and your future. Right now, make a commitment to press toward that Nike victory and JUST DO IT!

QUESTIONS

Are you all in and ready to JUST DO IT? If not, what is holding you back from JUST GOING FOR IT? What are your next steps to taking the 5 steps of discipleship and making DISCIPLESHAPE a lifestyle?

PRAYER

Jesus, I am all in and I am ready to do whatever you ask of me as one of your disciples. Thank you for choosing me to be on your team. I do believe that you are the ONLY way, the ONLY truth and the ONLY one where true life is found. I place my full faith and trust in you, and I am ready for this spiritual adventure as we walk together each day. Amen.

Ihave had the honor of being coached and mentored in my spiritual journey, one of my coaches has been someone I referred to that ran three marathons’, my father. My dad is not perfect, and he would be the first to admit it. However, one of the qualities I have observed and one that I have sought to practice is that he is committed to finishing his spiritual race well.

One of the keys to his commitment is making it a practice to never stop growing but to be a lifelong learner and disciple of Jesus. My father was turning 60 when he ran his first marathon and was approaching the age of 70 when he decided to attempt an academic marathon. He chose at the age of 68 to enter into a Doctor of Ministry program with a emphasis on leadership and spiritual formation. A few months ago, I was not sitting in a baseball stadium crossing the finish line after running 26.2 miles, rather I was in New York City observing him walk across the stage to be recognized for his Academic Marathon achievement. The same catch in my throat when he finished his first marathon rose that night in New York City.

I share that story, not to suggest that theological academic achievement is a sign of spiritual maturity and spiritual adulthood, rather to say this my father’s willingness to say, I have not arrived yet and I need more spiritual coaching. As a step toward his commitment to finishing well he submitted himself to spiritual coaches that helped him to become a stronger spiritual adult that Dr. Scazzero describes. He speaks of spiritual adulthood in first person, so place your name there and see if Dr. Scazzero’s definition fits your spiritual profile.

“I respect and love others without having to change them or becoming judgmental. I value people for who they are, not for what they can give me or how they behave. I take responsibility for my own thoughts, feelings, goals, and actions. I can state my own beliefs and values to those who disagree with me—without becoming adversarial. I am able to accurately self-assess my limits, strengths, and weaknesses. I am deeply convinced that I am absolutely loved by Christ and do not look to others to tell me I’m okay. I am able to integrate doing for God and being with him (Mary and Martha). My Christian life has moved beyond simply serving Christ to loving him and enjoying communion with him.”