Discipleship Point
Luke 5:16
Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
Pondering Point
We could all use a SCOPE in our lives; it’s a valuable asset in a healthy prayer life. Daniel had one; Peter had one; so did John – and Jesus; Paul seemed to have one, as well as many other followers of God in the Bible.
What is a SCOPE? It’s a Standing Commitment Offered to the Potter Every day. Build it into your life. Some people might imagine this to be a half-hour or more (and maybe it is for some of you). But there is no need to start there. Start with mini-SCOPEs, as little as a few seconds or a couple of minutes; but no more than ten. In such micro-moments or micro-minutes, you carve out times and offer them up to God. Make the moments an offering to Him. Let Him use them to shape you. Ask something of God or to seek after God or knock, knock, knock on Heaven's door.
Use the alarm on your phone or on your watch to remind yourself to carve out a few minutes to seek God. Do yourself a favor and set up two or three throughout your day. No pressure if you don’t hit each one. Just get started. Do this, and you will experience spiritual enrichment from your time with God. I use the One Minute Pause App nearly every day. It doesn't displace the benefits of a larger block of time set aside for the Lord (a full SCOPE) somewhere else in your week. But it is a great way to supplement when you only have smaller blocks of time theoretically available.
As disciples of Jesus, we look to include regular time with God
- in His Word and
- letting the Spirit disciple (teach) us directly.
S.C.O.P.E.
- S Standing
- C Commitment
- O Offered to the
- P Potter (God)
- E Every day (Early)
This includes time alone for prayer and reflection to hear from and yield to the Holy Spirit. (SCOPE2). It also involves time with God and others in His Word like in worship and small group, other great ways to be discipled directly and indirectly by the Spirit.
Discipleship Prayer
Father God, I know that it is not a requirement to carve out a SCOPE time in my schedule. I ask that You would lead me, not by law but by Your Spirit, to understand and pursue the best ways of communicating and communing with You. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Micro-Meditation
Psalm 119: Immersed in the Word of God
Micro-Meditation
Psalm 119:25-32 4th letter: Daleth (ד)
- I am laid low in the dust;
preserve my life according to your word. - I gave an account of my ways and you answered me;
teach me your decrees. - Cause me to understand the way of your precepts,
that I may meditate on your wonderful deeds. - My soul is weary with sorrow;
strengthen me according to your word. - Keep me from deceitful ways;
be gracious to me and teach me your law. - I have chosen the way of faithfulness;
I have set my heart on your laws. - I hold fast to your statutes, Lord;
do not let me be put to shame. - I run in the path of your commands,
for you have broadened my understanding.
Read the versus of the Psalm.
Mark the words or phrases that catch your attention.
Meditate: talk (or better, write) with God about those words. Ask him to impress things upon your heart and mind; expect responses.
Teaching or Command of God
1 Corinthians 9:24
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
The Promise
Psalm 23:3
He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
Pondering Point
Does the verb run versus walk alter the way that you envision imagery being used in Psalm 119:32?
Why or why not?
Character of God Word Studies: Faithful
Tomorrow, we visit Daniel in the Lions’ Den, and will see the faithfulness of God. The word emet is a common word used to describe God in the Bible. It can be translated as “faithfulness” or “truth.” So when the authors say that God is “full of emet,” they are saying that He is trustworthy – we can trust Him. But trusting isn’t always an easy thing. In this video, we look at why we can trust that God is full of emet.
https://bibleproject.com/videos/faithful/