OUTLINE & TAKE NOTES
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2024
"The Principles of Practices" // Pastor Daniel Mills
What if the secret to a transformed life lies in simple, daily practices? As we grow in spiritual formation, we’ll uncover the spiritual disciplines that serve as the catalyst for growth in the way of Jesus. We’ll explore how practices like prayer, Scripture reading, generosity, service, fasting, and solitude are not mere religious rituals but essential tools for spiritual formation. These disciplines are the pathways through which God shapes our hearts, minds, and souls, aligning us more closely with His will and character. But practicing these disciplines isn’t about adding more to our already busy lives; it’s about integrating them in a way that naturally flows from our desire to know and love Jesus more deeply. We’ll discuss how these practices create space for God to work in us, bringing about lasting transformation that goes beyond surface-level change. Are you ready to embark on a journey that will revolutionize your walk with Christ? Join us as we dive into the principles that will help you practice the way of Jesus every day.
1 Timothy 4:7 (NASB) – Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness
1 Timothy 4:7-8 (NIV) – Train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
“All big things come from small beginnings. The seed of every habit is a single, tiny decision. But as that decision is repeated, a habit sprouts and grows stronger. Roots entrench themselves and branches grow. The task of breaking a bad habit is like uprooting a powerful oak within us. And the task of building a good habit is like cultivating a delicate flower one day at a time.”
--James Clear, Atomic Habits
Prayer
Consistency
- 1 Thessalonians 5:17 – Pray continually
Worship
- Ephesians 5:18-20 – Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Fasting
- Matthew 4:4 – Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Listening
- John 10:27 – My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
Word of God
Daily Reading
- John 10:27 – My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
Meditation
- Psalm 1:2 – Whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night
- Joshua 1:8 – Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
Study
- 2 Timothy 2:15 – Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
Journaling
Memorization
- Colossians 3:16 (NASB) – Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Personal
Silence
- James 1:19 – Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak
Solitude
- Luke 5:16 – But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
Simplicity
- 1 Timothy 6:6-8 – But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.
Sacrifice
- Luke 9:23 – Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.
Interpersonal
Fellowship
- Acts 2:42 – They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Celebration / Worship
- Hebrews 10:25 – not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Service
- Colossians 3:23-24 – Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Generosity
- Acts 20:35 – And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
Confession
- Proverbs 28:13 – Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
Submission
- Hebrews 13:7 – Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account.
- Ephesians 5:21 – Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Hospitality
- Romans 12:13 – When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.
Sabbath
- Isaiah 58:13 – Keep the Sabbath day holy. Don’t pursue your own interests on that day, but enjoy the Sabbath and speak of it with delight as the Lord’s holy day. Honor the Sabbath in everything you do on that day.