What wise conclusion did Job come to regarding his debate with his friends?

Job said to his friends, “I will teach you about the hand of God” (27:11). Job had pinpointed the issue between him and his friends. They disagreed on the outworking of God’s retribution. They agreed that God was powerful, wise, and sovereign. But because Job knew there was no cherished sin in his life that would bring upon him such intense suffering, Job was forced to conclude that the simplistic notion that all suffering comes from sin and all righteousness is rewarded, was wrong. At the outset, Job himself probably believed as the comforters still did, but he had seen that his friends’ limitation of God’s action was drastically in need of revision; in fact, it was nonsense.

“God understands its way, and He knows its place” (28:23).These are perhaps the most important thoughts in the chapter for the debates. Job and his friends have probed God’s wisdom for 3 court rounds and basically have arrived nowhere near the truth. Finally, Job made the point clearly that the divine wisdom necessary to explain his suffering was inaccessible to man. Only God knew all about it, because He knows everything (v. 24). True wisdom belongs to the One who is the Almighty Creator (vv. 25, 26). One can only know it if He declares it to him (Deut. 29:29).

“Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom” (28:28). Job had made the connection that the others would not. While the specific features of God’s wisdom may not be revealed to us, the alpha and omega of wisdom is to revere God and avoid sin (Ps. 111:10; Prov. 1:7; 9:10; Eccl. 12:13, 14), leaving the unanswered questions to Him in trusting submission. All we can do is trust and obey (Eccl. 12:13), and that is enough wisdom. One may never know the reasons for life’s sufferings.

John 1:1-18

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”

God with us! God isn’t simply aware of us; He isn’t simply watching over us, protecting us or guiding us. God came to be with us. That is supposed to be the most amazing part of this story. It is supposed to be, but it isn’t. The most amazing part of this story is not that God crossed time and space and miraculously and mercifully became flesh so that we might know Him; no, the most amazing part of this story is that when we saw Him face to face we simply shrugged our shoulders and moved on unimpressed. As John puts it, “the world did not recognize Him,” and, “his own did not receive Him.” (Jn. 1:10-11)

How could we be unimpressed with God? How could we not understand how incredible this was that God came near and made His dwelling among us? How could we stare in the face of our creator and not be moved? I’d like to think that I would have been different; that if I had been there I would have understood who He was and worshipped. But who am I kidding? I miss God all the time. Psalm 19:1 tells us that creation reveals God’s glory, and yet I drive through it everyday largely unmoved. I see the poor and needy regularly and fail to respond even though Christ said Himself in Matthew 25 that a response to them is a response to Him. And everyday God speaks to me through His Spirit, His Word, and His people. And yet I often miss Him. How often have I failed to recognize Him and receive Him because I am too busy, too distracted or simply too self absorbed?

My prayer for myself this year – and for you as you join us on this journey through Vertical – is that we would not miss Him. I pray that we would all slow down and seek to recognize this God who loved us enough to send His one and only Son to come near to us so that we might know Him… not miss Him.

DISCIPLINES FOR THE DISCIPLE - PRAYER

The Discipline Of Prayer

INTRODUCTION

1. In our previous study we defined the spiritual disciplines as...
   a. Spiritual exercises that one engages in habitually which bring one
      closer to God and thus become more godly in character and behavior
   b. Spiritual activities such as prayer, meditation, fasting, singing,
      giving, etc.

2. Now we shall consider such disciplines more carefully, beginning with
   prayer...
   a. An activity in which Jesus Himself frequently practiced - Lk 5:16
   b. A spiritual exercise enjoined upon Christians - Col 4:2; 1Th 5:17

[To encourage us to pray more often, let's first examine...]

I. THE PURPOSE OF PRAYER

   A. AS TAUGHT BY JESUS...
      1. To praise God, expressing adoration
         a. As indicated by the phrase "Hallowed be Your name..." - Mt
            6:9
         b. As exemplified in one of David's prayer - 1Ch 29:10-13
      2. To pray that God's will to be done
         a. As indicated by the phrase "Your kingdom come..." - Mt 6:10
         b. As exemplified in the Lord's own prayer - Mt 26:39,42
      3. To make requests for our daily needs
         a. Such as our daily food - Mt 6:11
         b. Such as our bodily health - 3Jn 2
      4. To confess our sins, seeking mercy
         a. Asking forgiveness, as we forgive others - Mt 6:12
         b. Assured that God will justly and faithfully cleanse through
            Jesus' blood - 1Jn 1:9
      5. To ask for God's providential care
         a. Keeping us away from evil - Mt 6:13
         b. Directing our path if it be His will - Ro 1:9-10
      -- From "The Lord's Prayer", we can learn much about the purpose
         of prayer

   B. AS TAUGHT BY HIS APOSTLES...
      1. To express thanksgiving - 1Th 5:17-18
      2. To find peace in the midst of anxiety - Php 4:6-7
      3. To receive strength and boldness from God - Ep 3:14-16,20; 6:
         18-20
      4. To find opportunity for service to God - Col 4:3
      5. To receive wisdom from God - Jm 1:5-8
      6. To intercede on behalf of others - Jm 5:14-16; 1Ti 2:1-2
      -- From the apostles' writings, we learn much about the purpose of
         prayer

[There is much good that can come from prayer, both for ourselves and
those for whom we pray.  It is an activity in which Jesus and His
apostles engaged in frequently, so now let's consider more closely...]

II. THE PRACTICE OF PRAYER

   A. AS TAUGHT BY JESUS...
      1. Jesus taught the value of secret prayer
         a. By precept, in His sermon on the mount - Mt 6:5-6
         b. By example, in finding solitary places to pray - Mk 1:35
      2. Jesus taught the value of simple prayer
         a. Many words are not necessary - Mt 6:7
         b. Our Father already knows our needs - Mt 6:8; cf. Ro 8:26-27
      3. Jesus taught the value of steadfast prayer
         a. In response to His disciples' request to teach them to pray
            - Lk 11:1,5-10
         b. In telling them the parable of the persistent widow - Lk 18:
            1-8
      -- Thus the discipline of prayer should include the elements of
         secrecy, simplicity, and steadfastness

   B. AS PRACTICED BY GODLY MEN AND WOMEN...
      1. David, a man after God's own heart, prayed morning, noon, and
         evening - Ps 55:17
      2. Daniel, a man greatly beloved by God, prayed thrice daily for
         many years - Dan 6:10
      3. Anna, a prophetess, served God in prayers night and day - Lk 2:
         36-37
      4. Real widows continue in prayers night and day - 1Ti 5:5
      5. Epaphras labored fervently in prayers for those in his church
         - Col 4:12
      6. Paul prayed frequently for his brethren in other churches - Ro
         1:9; Php 1:3-4; Ep 1:15-16;
         1Th 1:2
      -- Clearly the discipline of prayer involves a habitual, daily
         practice of prayer

CONCLUSION

1. The discipline of prayer, done habitually, is truly a spiritual
   exercise...
   a. "Prayer is the spiritual gymnasium in which we exercise and
      practice godliness." - V. L. Crawford
   b. "...Prayer is educative. The man who prays grows; and the muscles
      of the soul swell from this whipcord to iron bands." - Frederick
      B. Meyer
   c. The opposite is also true:  "Seven days without prayer makes one
      weak." - Allan E. Bartlette

2. The discipline of prayer is truly an exercise that leads to
   godliness...
   a. For Jesus, at the right hand of God, makes intercession for us
      - Ro 8:34
   b. Indeed, Jesus always lives to make intercession - He 7:25

If we desire to be true disciples of Christ, if we want to become more
like Him, then "The Discipline Of Prayer" is a spiritual exercise that
we must engage in frequently...

   And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the
   mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was
   alone there. - Mt 14:23

   Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight,
   He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He
   prayed. - Mk 1:35

   So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.
                                                       - Lk 5:16

DISCIPLINES FOR THE DISCIPLE

Introduction To Spiritual Discipline

A topical Series Lesson

INTRODUCTION

1. In 1Ti 4:7, we find Paul exhorting Timothy to...
   a. "exercise yourself toward godliness" (NKJV)
   b. What does this mean?

2. Compare other translations...
   a. "train yourself for godliness" (ESV, NET)
   b. "train yourself to be godly" (NIV, NLT)
   c. "discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness" (NASB)

3. Consider what some commentators have written...
   a. "cultivate piety, and seek to become more holy" - Barnes
   b. "Timothy is told that as an athlete trains his body, so the
      Christian must train his soul." - Barclay
   c. "Such exercise involves reading and studying the Bible, prayer,
      meditation..." - BBC

4. The value of such spiritual exercise is seen in 1Ti 4:8...
   a. "godliness is profitable for all things"
   b. "having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to
      come"

[The disciple, therefore, is to engage in various "exercises" or
"disciplines" that cultivate godliness or piety.  In this series, we
shall take a look at such "Disciplines For The Disciple."  But in this
lesson, some introductory thoughts regarding...]

I. THE CONCEPT OF SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE

   A. DEFINITION OF SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE...
      1. In general terms, discipline means:
         a. "any training intended to develop moral character, or
            produce a pattern of behavior."
            -  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discipline
         b. "training that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental
            faculties or moral character - Merriam-Webster
      2. Regarding spiritual disciplines in particular:
         a. "A spiritual discipline is, when practiced faithfully and
            regularly, a habit or regular pattern in your life that
            repeatedly brings you back to God and opens you up to what
            God is saying to you."
            - http://www.spirithome.com/spirdisc.html
         b. "Spiritual disciplines can be described as behaviors that
            facilitate spiritual growth."
            - http://www.wcg.org/lit/spiritual/group/discip1.htm
      -- Spiritual disciplines, then, are spiritual exercises that one
         engages in habitually which bring one closer to God and thus
         become more godly in character and behavior

   B. EXAMPLES OF SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES...
      1. Prayer - in which one spends time talking to God - e.g., Dan
         6:10; Col 4:2
      2. Meditation - in which one contemplates on God's Word, or other
         things worthy of such attention - cf. Ps 1:1-2; Php 4:8
      3. Fasting - usually accompanied with prayer, in which one
         abstains from food - e.g., Neh 1:4; Ac 13:2-3; 14:23
      4. Singing - through which one can praise God and be edified
         - e.g., Ps 71:23; Ac 16:25
      5. Giving - by which we can please God and be blessed - cf. He
         13:16; Ac 20:35
      6. Assembling - where we can exhort one another - cf. Ps 122:1;
         He 10:24-25
      7. Hospitality - showing kindness to strangers, which often
         results in a blessing - cf. He 13:2
      8. Teaching - which usually benefits the teacher more than the
         student - cf. He 5:12-14
      -- Such spiritual activities help to discipline or train one to be
         more godly

[We shall examine these more carefully in future lessons.  But to
appreciate the importance of spiritual disciplines for those who call
themselves disciples of Christ, let's review...]

II. THE CONCEPT OF DISCIPLESHIP

   A. THE WORD "DISCIPLE"...
      1. Literally means a learner
      2. It denotes "one who follows another's teaching" - Vine
      3. A disciple was not only a learner, he was also an adherent
      -- For such reasons, disciples were spoken of as imitators of
         their teachers

   B. THE GOAL IN BEING A DISCIPLE...
      1. Stated by Jesus himself:  to be like the teacher - Lk 6:40
      2. To be Christ's disciple, then, is to strive to be like Him!
      3. This coincides with God's goal in the redemption of mankind,
         that they be conformed to the image of His Son - Ro 8:29
      -- Since Jesus is the Son of God, the goal of a disciple is to be
         more godly

CONCLUSION

1. Are you a disciple of Christ...?
   a. Jesus wants you to become His disciple - Mt 28:19-20
   b. Jesus wants you to become like Him - Lk 6:40

2. With the aid of spiritual disciplines, we are more likely to become
   what Jesus wanted...
   a. For Jesus Himself often taught His disciples to engage in such
      activities
   b. Through both precept and example, Jesus taught His disciples
      regarding such activities

If you are a disciple of Jesus Christ, then I trust that this series,
"Disciplines For The Disciple" will be of special to interest to you.
Remember what Paul wrote to Timothy...

   "But reject profane and old wives' fables, and exercise yourself
   toward godliness. For bodily exercise profits a little, but
   godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the
   life that now is and of that which is to come. This is a faithful
   saying and worthy of all acceptance."
                                                       - 1Ti 4:7-9