SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE OR TRAINING 'SERIES', BI-MONTHLY - SUN/WED/FRI, Post 20, August 11, 2019

​Welcome my Friends to the Third Quarter, 2019.

Whether one calls it 'Self-Denial', 'Soul Friendship', or 'Spiritual Disciplines', now that we have elaborated and on 'Spiritual Disciplines', and discussed for a season with the topic of Stress; let's resume more of the 'Spiritual Disciplines'. 

I sincerely hope and pray that all in this series of posts will be advantageous to you for the purpose of growing in the knowledge and grace of the Lord.  

As always, before we get started. Remember, these are 'tools', so let us not get anxious. Amen. Amen.

​Continuing today, with some further posts since we began our series for anyone desiring to draw into a more intimate relationship with God through  Jesus Christ, with  our Introductory Post A, Wednesday, April 3, 2019; Post B, Friday, April 5, 2019 ; Post C. Sunday, April 7, 2019; Post D, Wednesday, April 10, 2019; and Post E, Friday, April 12, 2019. We then continued to post on a bi-monthly basis on Sunday/Wednesday/Friday, until we finished.  See, all the following, therefore. 
 
Post 1, April 24, 2019; Post 2, April 26. 2019; Posts 3,4,5,6,7,8,9;  May 5,8, 10,  19, 22, 24,2019, and so forth. 
Remember to see our posts on 'Stress'; 'Service' and 'Fasting' posted June 2-5-7; 16-19-21, 2019-during our Sunday/Wednesday/Friday, bi-monthly posts. 

Continuing today, August 11, 2019, our post series from July 7, 10, 12,21, 24, 26, 2019, therefore. Let us look at some other 'disciplines' or habits of 'the Christian Way of Life' or 'habits' we can practice endeavoring to walk closer and closer with Our Lord and Savior.  On our last posts, we covered 'service', and 'fasting'. [June 19, 21, 2019]  We have covered the 'disciplines' of 'silence' and 'solitude'.  We now study our last 'discipline' - 'Simplicity'.

Remember, the purpose of 'disciplines' is - 'Christian discipleship' - 'getting a better understanding of God, His Purposes for us, ever learning to become - in thoughts, words, and actions - JUST LIKE JESUS'. 

LET US NOT MISS THIS MOST IMPORTANT OBJECTIVE - ALL FOR THE GLORY AND PRAISE OF GOD!!  Amen. Amen.  ​The Spiritual Discipline of Simplicity

This discipline is probably one of the harder disciplines to develop. There are so many conflicting messages about how we're supposed to live that keeping our faith simple gets lost. How do we strip away all the complications to get back to living by the basics so that all the rest will just fall into place?

But, recall on our last post on July 26, 2019 that I shared with you, my friends, that "when really understood, this is or can be a 'training' which leads you to a more enjoyable life, enabling one to have more 'peace', 'satisfaction' and contentment than ever".  This is especially true when you couple 'simplicity' with such as 'bible reading, praying, silence and solitude' disciplines. These have given me 'a peace that passes all understanding', even in 'the midst of any storms, trials or persecution or tribulation'. For real![Isaiah 9:6-7; 26:3, John 14:27;16:33; Philippians 4:7; 1 Peter 5:7 Read more audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html]"   Amen. Amen. 

Jesus Came to Make It Simpler

When we look at developing the spiritual discipline of simplicity, we would be doing a disservice by not looking at Jesus' ministry.

Yes, God sent His son to die for our sins, but one thing Jesus did while He was here on earth was set down some important lessons for keeping our faith pretty basic. From leading us back to the understanding of the  'spirit versus the letter' of the Ten Commandments [Exodus 20:2-17; Deuteronomy 5:6-21;Matthew 5-7 and many other 'passages' in the 'Gospels'], to giving us the 'beatitudes', [Matthew 5:3-10], to demonstrating the Golden Rule…[Matthew 7:11-12], we learn that man can sometimes complicate living righteously.

First and Foremost - Simplicity as an Internal Spiritual Discipline

We all have that 'self-interested' 'inner voice' that can complicate our faith. It's there inside our heads asking all the questions that can muddle our decision-making process. Sometimes making the right decisions about what to do means taking our beliefs down to the simplest building blocks. Not so, with Jesus! [John 5:30-47]

There are tools we can use to quiet our inner voices. Meditation in and on 'the Word of God' is a great way to get away from the world and focus on God. A prayer is a tool that allows us to have a conversation with God and get some clarity. [Remember, prayer is not just 'talking to God', BUT' 'waiting before Him', 'listening with the heart's intent' to 'hear and obey' Him! James 1:19-21] 'Fasting and praying' is another method of narrowing down our focus, and being 'specific'', to the 'point'. Read more audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html]

Think of developing the spiritual discipline of simplicity as a way to clean house, but this time it's cleaning house in your own head. Start polishing your beliefs and get rid of the things that clutter and cloud your judgment. If you're confused, go to the source - your Bible - and read up on what's bothering you.

Or take some time in solitude to really reflect on things without the outside influences.  Jesus did. [Matthew 20:17; Mark 10:32, to list but two instances.]

Bottom line - Simplicity means making things clearer, cleaner, easier to understand. Yet this is a discipline that also means becoming more convicted in your core values, settling 'things once and for all', you may say.
Read more audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html]

Blessings with open eyes until our next post on Wednesday, August 14, 2019, as the Lord will.  [Ephesians 1:18]  Amen.  Amen.​

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