Resources for the Spiritual Disciplines

Spirit of the Disciplines

Dallas Willard

Spiritual Disciplines Handbook

Adele Calhoun

Celebration of the Disciplines

Richard Foster

Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life

Donald Whitney

A Short Guide to Spiritual Disciplines: How to Become a Healthy Christian

Mason King

The Life You've Always Wanted

John Ortberg

Spiritual Disciplines Companion: Bible Studies and Practices to Transform Your Soul

Jan Johnson

Week 1: Meditating on Scripture

If possible, do this first thing in the morning to shape your thoughts for the day, and last thing at night so it settles in your heart as you sleep. A great app to help you do this is Lectio365, which has options to do this in the morning, at midday, and at night.
Put aside all distractions so you can fully focus on God. If you are using a Bible app on your phone, put it on Airplane Mode.
Open your hands and rest them in your lap as a sign of surrendering your will to God’s will and your willingness to entrust your worries, fears, and cares to God.
Choose one or two verses and read them out loud slowly, intentionally, and repeatedly 3 to 5 times.
Ask yourself three questions:
1. What does this passage teach me about God? – Focus on God’s character, promises, or actions.
2. What does this passage teach me about myself? – Consider how it reveals my attitudes, behaviors, or heart posture.
3. How should this passage change the way I think, feel, or act? – Apply it personally to your decisions, relationships, or daily choices.

6. Turn the Scripture into a prayer.

How do I STUDY the Scriptures?

S — Seek God’s guidance and direction as you begin.
Psalm 119:18 Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.

T — Take time to read the passage carefully.

Read it slowly (re-read it again)
Make observations (you may want to make a mental note or write observations or
questions down in a notebook)
Notice key words or phrases (don’t be afraid to highlight words or write them down to
come back to)
Check the context (read some of the verses before and after the key verse/verses you
are studying)
Look to see who the author is and who the audience is. (use a study Bible or
commentary to help here if needed)
Note what questions are arising in your mind as you read. (What are wondering?)

U — Understand the meaning.

What was the author’s intent?
What does it say about God?
What does it say about people?
How would the people of that day have heard or understood it?
What have I already learned about this passage?
Look up key words (see Biblehub.com)
Look at commentaries (NIV Application Commentary Series and God’s Word For You
Commentary Series)
How does this passage fit with the rest of scripture?
What questions do I still have? (see Gotquestions.org)

D — Discern how it applies to life today.

Y — Yield to God through obedient action.

Take a few minutes to pray, confess, commit, ask for God’s help to live out His word.
Bible Study Resources: