CHOOSE : TO DISCIPLE

Having only a bird's eye view at a recent UM basketball game, I choose to watch the monitor----that is when I didn't have an eye on one of my 5 grandboys who were with us. Interestingly enough, the ads often caught my attention more than the runaway game.

Disciple Design certainly caught my eye. The design of the ad alone spoke volumes---especially for this perfectly-sharpened pencil loving Christian.

Is there a design for a disciple? 

Allen Bible Church calls it "marks of a disciple"---marks that guide their lives individually and corporately. Their Seven Marks design are the guidepost for church members living out their mission of the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-39) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19); loving God supremely, loving others sacrificially & strategically  transforming our world with His truth.

It takes more than a little baptism water to make a disciple----it takes discipline. 

Choosing to disciple seems to go a step further by reaching out to others and coming alongside them in their walk of faith. A divine design for all.

SIMPLICITY: ART OR DISCIPLINE?

6/4/13 My "working" definition of simplicity is a freedom from worldly values which allow a person to fully embrace a life with the Lord at its center---loving Him, and loving others by blessing (praising) Him and benefitting others---which will overflow in true joy and balance in one's life. This "overflow" will be unique to every individual. This simplicity, when seen as a spiritual discipline, will manifests itself as one does the right thing, at the right time for the right reasons.

On the other hand, simplicity can freely express the diversity, imagination and creativity of each unique individual, created by God.

Art of Simpicity by Candy Paull, 2006

Art or discipline? Maybe simplicity is a little of both.

In training.....

5/29/13 My morning walk started off briskly and then faded into meandering rather quickly as my mind wandered. Good thing I'm not in training for a 5K or any other kind of athletic endeavor. Yet, the meandering allowed me to reflect on the "training" that has been part of my schedule these last few weeks. As I've studied for my upcoming simplici-TEA sessions, I've seen the importance of "training" for life----the life I want!. An "in Him, I live and move and have my being " type of life. (Acts 17:28)

I like the way John Ortberg encourages "practice" in living. He suggests that one should train in order to be able to "celebrate and to seek out joy, live in the moment, reflect on God’s attributes. Such training according to him might require one to unplug from TV and technology, and to train one’s mind to think on things from a biblical perspective."

Spiritual transformation takes wise spiritual training. 

So....I'm in training. Join me???

Creature of Habit

4/2/13 Usually I can be found in a public restroom, 2nd stall. The "usually" adverb is a result of aging, I think. The 2nd stall habit---I'm not so sure why that's my stall of choice. Is it a gravitational pull? Certainly fits the definition of a habit---a recurrent, often unconscious pattern of behavior that is acquired through frequent repetition (thefreedictionary.com) Certainly there are other patterns in my life that I wished had more of a pull on me. Good habits in my daily "walk." More meditation time. More prayer time. More "doing unto others" service time.

In the spiritual realm, such habits would be labeled "disciplines" and the metaphoric gravitational pull would emanate from "above." Habits more in line with the "b" definition of habit....an established disposition of the mind or character."(thefreedictionary.com)

Certainly character is a spiritual aspect of discipline. Establishing that discipline requires training---or is that redundant? Molding and perfecting one's moral character requires discipline, in order to keep recurring....to become a "spiritual" habit.

I am.....a creature of habit. So....you'll probably still find me in the 2nd stall----but maybe I'll have my "spiritual disciplines" book in there with me.