Christian Spiritual and Moral Disciplines
2 Timothy 4: 1 - 8
I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
John 14: 1-31
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.” Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. “If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.“A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?” Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. . He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me. “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I. “And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe. I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me. But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here.
Minimum Christian Spiritual and Moral Disciplines
Minimum Christian
Spiritual Disciplines ................. 
Matthew 22: 37-40; 28: 18-20
Personal |
Corporate |
Combined |
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2 hours per week |
1 hour per week |
3+ hours per week |
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2 hours per week |
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3+ hours per week |
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2 hour per week |
1 hour per week |
3+ hours per week |
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At least 1 day per month |
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May be relational, church and ministry tithes and offerings,
but not to self. |
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Attend Church at least 1 day a week |
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The minimum spiritual disciplines in many ways are just very strong recommendations with some flexibility in the times of each area. Still they should add up to 9 hours or more in the weekly end total. It is best to have a balanced life in Prayer the Word and Worship going on consistently in your daily spiritual life. Nevertheless if one type of spiritual discipline fires you up in Christ, it is good to get as much of that as possible while still keeping a healthy amount of time in the other spiritual disciplines.
Time is not what is important. We only us time as a way to help show us that we are at least making an effort to build our relationship with God as well as the quality of our relationship with Christ. For example how much of a relationship will you have with your son or daughter if you only are spending a hour a week with them compared to if you consistently spend 3 or 4 hours a day with them. Your children will know how much you care for them in either situation depending on the time you spend with them .
Time also shows the quality or nature of relaionship. It is also hard to really see how you get along with your children or God if you are only spending an hour or two a week with them. However, if you spend a lot of time with them you will see how you get along and if your relationship with them is good or needs more work. If you do not want to spend time with your family your relationship with them is probably not very good, even if you think it is.
Remember these are only the minimum spiritual disciplines. We believe that all Christian should be living out more than these times. We cannot under estimate the more time you spend in the presence of Jesus the better your Christian walk will be. Our relationship with Christ will be more abundant and greatly enhanced if we surpass all of the minimum spiritual disciplines. If a disciple of Christ has a loving intimate and fruitful relationship with Christ our Bride Groom we will have a lifestyle that will easily surpass the above disciplines without even trying. It will be better than spending time in a good book, a sporting event or your favorite movie. Love cannot be explained it is an amazing thing.
Even if you cannot meet these minimal spiritual disciplines right away any increase in time with Jesus will be fruitful to your life in Christ.
Check it out 9 hours a week is only 1.5 hours per day, 6 days a week or .5 hours a day for each discipline.
Christian Spiritual and Moral disciplines are the heartbeat and lifeline of every Christian. We as Christian leaders must rise to the highest standards to make sure that we are doing what Christ has called us to do. This way we can be obedient to Christ in ministry. We are all called to lead! Matthew 28: 18-20
Minimum Christian Moral Disciplines
1 Corinthians 13; Matthew 22: 37-40; 28: 18-20; 2 Peter 1: 1-11
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Galatians 5: 16 - 26 |
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Romans 12: 9 -21 |
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Ephesians 5: 22 - 33 Colossians 3:21 |
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Matthew 5: 27 – 32 |
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Ephesians 5: 15 - 21 |
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Romans 13: 1 |
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1 Corinthians 13 |
*Alcoholic consumption should be limited to no more than 1 alcoholic drink (no strong drink, Proverbs 20: 1) per day for no more than 2 days in a 1 week period of time at the most, preferably none. Scripture lets us know that it is a good thing not to drink any alcohol at all (Luke 1: 15) as seen in the life of John the Baptist and then the only alcoholic drink should be limited to wine for health reasons (1 Timothy 5: 23) which is not even really applicable for today because of our medicines. We also are not to drink alcohol or take any drug that is mind altering drugs (Sorcery = Pharmacia = drunkenness or mind altering, Galatians 5: 20). Christians are also called to be sober at all times and live a self-controlled lifestyle (1 Peter 5: 8; Titus 1: 7 – 9). Christians are not be a stumbling block for those who may not be able to control their alcoholic consumption (1 Corinthians 8: 8 – 10; Romans 14: 21). The best example and role model is for a Christian leader is not to drink any alcohol at all. We allow minimal alcoholic consumption because of the controversy about some alcoholic usage, however we prefer no use and if used it should not be used in public (only 1 drink per day and no more than 2 days in a week) other than for communion if your denomination requires it (if not grape juice is best). No mind altering drugs like marijuana or stronger are allowed only necessary legal and medical drugs. We know this is controversial. However, a relationship with God is dependent upon a clear mind and sound judgment.
As the spiritual and moral disciplines are self-regulated and the only ones to know 100% of a Christian’s obedience are you and God (God cannot be fooled). One way to help you live out these Christian spiritual and moral disciplines is to have some kind of support system set up between you and a friend or a minister. This will help with encouraging, equipping and mobilizing you and our future as the Body of Christ with the best possible chance getting started right and then maintain our life in Christ on an ongoing basis. This way everyone can be assured that we Christians will remain fruitful and obedient ministers of Jesus Christ for the long term.
…as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness,
through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue…
1 Peter 1:3
The most important thing in how to spend more time with Jesus Christ your Bride is priority. You must make your desire to love Jesus more of a priority than anything else and do something about it. It does not matter whether you are an organized person or not. I am not an organized type person. I do not schedule my time with Jesus. I just use time as it opens up to pray, worship (I use the mp3 on my phone and worship silently with it and the Bible to read) or read scripture. I know that I spend more time with Jesus this way than if I scheduled it in. If you want to add a half hour a day to your time with Jesus either find two times during the day that you can schedule in 15 minutes each or just find two times in your day that come up to pray, worship and/or read your Bible (then try increasing it after a week or two). It is that simple, try it! Others successfully schedule their daily times of prayer, worship and Bible study. Know who you are and do it the way that suits you best and allows you to spend more time with Jesus Christ the lover of your soul.
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on how to develop and improve your spiritual life...
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