It's Enough
On Sunday we talked about the Means of Grace and how to grow in these Spiritual Practices. Spend some time talking with your group or think about how you do with each of these.
Prayer
Fasting
Searching the Scriptures
Christian Conferencing
Lord's Supper
After talking about your personal practice of each of these talk or think about how you could improve one of these areas in the coming week.
Below is a list of resources to use to grow in some of these areas.
Resources
YOUR SPIRTUAL LIFE – How did you nurture your spiritual life?
· Morning Devotion: A great start for morning devotions are Upper Room. An Upper Room Devotion can be purchased at the church at the Information Center; Online you can sign up for devotions by Richard Rohr at Cac.orgor by Henri Nouwen at Henrinouwen.org
· Establish a routine of asking yourself John Wesley’s 21 Questions (see last page for the list of questions). You can also purchase Christ Folmsbee’s book: The Wesley Challenge: 21 Days to a More Authentic Faith to help you move deeper into these questions.
· Prayer Life: Sign up for Pastor Jim’s class, “How to Pray”; read Adam Webber’s book “Talking with God”; read a Psalm each day as a prayer; pray the Wesley Covenant Prayer each day or use the Prayer of Examen (see back of study)
· Worship Attendance & Communion: Your goal should be to attend worship if you are at home and not sick. If you are traveling you should take the opportunity to worship at another church. If you are sick or traveling and cannot make it to live worship we encourage you to watch worship on our website www.ncumcfl.com
· Spiritual Retreat: Yearly Lake Deaton Men’s and Women’s Ministry plan a Spiritual Retreat. We would love to have you sign up. However, we also recommend that you go on other spiritual retreats. We are blessed to live close to the Life Enrichment Center in Fruitland Park, Florida, visit their website at http://www.lecretreats.org. Further away in Conyers, Georgia you can find the Monastery of the Holy Spirit, please visit their website at https://www.trappist.netfor more information.
YOUR STUDY – How did you nurture your study life?
· Reading Bible & Daily Scripture Guides: Sign up for Pastor Jim’s class, “How to Read the Bible”; Buy a Life Journal at http://www.lifejournal.cc; Use the S.O.A.P method or other methods during your Bible reading (see back of study); Google “New Testament Bible Reading Plans” and pick one that looks good to you and then follow that plan.
· Grow Night: Each Wednesday in the Winter, Spring and Fall we have Grow Night classes. We highly encourage you to sign up for classes. A Faith Group is transformational but you still need informational groups in your life and this is what you will get at Grow Night. We highly encourage you to sign up for classes at least two out of the three semesters.
· Religious podcasts/videos/seminars:
o Recommended Podcasts: The Bible Project; The Bible for Normal People; Ask NT Wright Anything; On Mission Together, with Bishop Ken Carter; Renovaré (Podcasts can be listened to on your phone or computer on the google podcasts or apple podcast apps)
o Recommended YouTube Channels: The Bible Project(https://www.youtube.com/user/jointhebibleproject); Chuck Knows Church(https://www.youtube.com/user/ChuckKnowsChurch); N.T. Wright Online(https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL4SUOSUEOq8v-aaw3GQ7Tw)
o Recommended Seminars: The church periodically announces district training events. We highly encourage you to sign up for these special events.
· Religious Publications or Religious magazines/websites:
o Recommended Blogs: Patheos(https://www.patheos.com/blogs/bibleandculture); Pete Enns(https://peteenns.com/blog/); Bible Project Blog (https://thebibleproject.com/blog/); Pastor Jim’s Sermon Blog (http://jdivinejourney.blogspot.com); Pastor Kristyne’s Sermon Blog (http://revkristyneyoung.blogspot.com)
o Recommended Magazines/website: Interpreter (http://www.interpretermagazine.org); Christianity Today(https://subscribe.christianitytoday.com);Renovaré provides practical resources for cultivating a life—the with-God life—that makes us like Jesus from the inside out - Renovare.org; Virtual story telling meets the Bible at www.thebibleproject.com
Wesley Covenant Prayer
Traditional Version
I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed by thee or laid aside by thee.
Exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
thou art mine, and I am thine.
So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
Let it be ratified in heaven.
I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed by thee or laid aside by thee.
Exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
thou art mine, and I am thine.
So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
Let it be ratified in heaven.
Amen.
Contemporary Version
I am no longer my own, but yours.
Put me to what you will, place me with whom you will.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be put to work for you or set aside for you,
Praised for you or criticized for you.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and fully surrender all things to your glory and service.
And now, O wonderful and holy God,
Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer,
you are mine, and I am yours.
So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
Let it also be made in heaven.
I am no longer my own, but yours.
Put me to what you will, place me with whom you will.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be put to work for you or set aside for you,
Praised for you or criticized for you.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and fully surrender all things to your glory and service.
And now, O wonderful and holy God,
Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer,
you are mine, and I am yours.
So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
Let it also be made in heaven.
Amen.
Prayer of Examen
The Examen is a method of reviewing your day in the presence of God. It’s actually an attitude more than a method, a time set aside for thankful reflection on where God is in your everyday life. It has five steps, which most people take more or less in order, and it usually takes 15 to 20 minutes a day. Here it is in a nutshell:
1. Pray for light: Begin by asking God for the grace to pray, to see and to understand.
2. Give thanks: Look at your day in a spirit of gratitude. Everything is a gift from God.
3. Review the day: Guided by the Holy Spirit, look back on your day. Pay attention to your experience. Look for God in it.
4. Look at what’s wrong: Face up to failures and shortcomings. Ask forgiveness for your faults. Ask God to show you ways to improve.
5. Resolution for the day to come: Where do you need God today? What can you do today?
Bible Study Methods
S.O.A.P. Method
S - Scripture...write down one verse that “jumps out” and speaks to you. You may want to begin by choosing a particular book in the Bible to read through or maybe a certain topic. Structure helps keep us on track, but a little randomness now and then doesn’t hurt either. :)
O - Observations...jot down some notes on what God shows you through the Scripture. God’s Word is living and active...it’s never stagnant. Listen and pay attention to what the LORD wants to show you.
A - Application...make note of some ways you can apply what the Holy Spirit is showing you. Remember...we’re to be doers of the Word not just hearers. What are some practical ways you can incorporate the truth of Scripture into your life?
P - Prayer...take time to pray, asking God to help you carry out His will. Pray for others and how God wants to use you in so many ways! Thank God for speaking to you, for giving you His Word, for teaching you by His Spirit, etc.! Praise Him for being real and active in your life!
Another Method
While you read scripture look for things that inspire, ask you to inquire, irk you or require you to do something. Make a !, ?, #&*/ or Dsymbol next to the passages and then in the margins answer the question that goes with the symbol.
Inspire (!)- What stands out positively so far and why?
Inquire (?)- What questions have been raised?
Irk (#&*/)- What has rubbed you wrong or created dissonance?
Require (D)- What change(s) seem to be demanded of you?
Wesley’s 21 Questions
Relationship with God
· Is Jesus real to me?
· Am I enjoying prayer?
· Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?
· Did the Bible live in me today?
· Did I disobey God in anything?
· Do I pray about the money I spend?
· Do I give time for the Bible to speak to me every day?
Relationship with Self
· Am I proud?
· Am I defeated in any part of my life?
· Do I go to bed on time and get up on time?
· Do I grumble or complain constantly?
· Am I a slave to dress, friends, work, or habits?
· How do I spend my spare time?
· Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?
Relationship with Others
· Do I thank God that I am not like others?
· Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better than I am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?
· Do I confidentially pass on to others what was told to me in confidence?
· Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy, or distrustful?
· Am I honest in all my actions and words, or do I exaggerate?
· Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold resentment toward or disregard?
· When did I last speak to someone about my faith?
