YOU Podcast

The first international mission trip I took offered scrumptious meals, a beachfront hotel, and welcoming locals. The next one offered airport scammers, hotel tarantulas, and limited food selections. On the second trip, of those we ministered to, not all were happy to see us. But God called us there, so we served. Sometimes we served cautiously, sometimes we were on the verge of fainting from the heat, sometimes we trailed into an unknown wilderness destination . . . but never with doubt! God was with us in the work.

You may not go on an international mission trip, but you are called to minister. Every follower of Christ is called to minister. We do not need to fear the work. The same confidence I found applies to all believers: We are called, and we are not alone. Believers are to join God’s work in both the Church and the world.

In 1947, the Dodgers called minor league player Jackie Robinson up to the major leagues six days before the start of the season. On April 15, Robinson made his major league debut at the relatively advanced age of 28 before a crowd of 26,623 spectators, more than 14,000 of whom were black. Although he failed to get a base hit, he walked and scored a run in the Dodgers’ 5-3 victory. Robinson became the first player since 1884 to openly break the major league baseball color line.

Robinson did not do it alone. Despite opposition because he was black, he received encouragement from several major league players. Lee “Jeep” Handley, who played for the Phillies at the time, was the first opposing player to wish him well. Dodgers teammate Pee Wee Reese once came to Robinson’s defense with the famous line, “You can hate a man for many reasons. Color is not one of them.”

Our spiritual growth is not something we do alone. We greatly benefit from the help of others. Spiritual growth calls for regular interaction with and ministry to other believers.

While it is not possible to achieve sinless perfection this side of heaven, it is possible to achieve “confession zero.” Sin build up is far worse than any accumulation of emails, but through the spiritual disciplines of fasting and confession, we can maintain a strong relationship with God. With sin out of the way, our focus on Christ remains strong. Fasting and confession keep us rightly focused on Christ.

Social media may build bridges between the world and us, but it also puts up walls. Too often we are consumed with our social media profiles, and we miss the most important relationships we have. We miss the joy of spending uninterrupted face-to-face time with friends and family, and we squander the opportunity to really know God. Prayer draws us closer to Jesus as our hearts align with his.

Our relationship with God is strengthened as we encounter him in his word. We can always rely on the direction the Bible gives without fail. It is always reliable and will never lead us astray. Psalm 119 is a comprehensive treatment of God’s instruction, and in this psalm we see how the Bible produces spiritual growth, equips us to face opposition, and gives us a reliable perspective to navigate life.

To discipline is to enforce provided boundaries or safeguards. Although we don’t usually think of it in this way, discipline is a positive! Military discipline shapes people into strong and conscientious adults. Disciplined eating extends life and trims the waistline. Disciplined work habits produce excellent work ethics and a good reputation. Discipline is a wonderful thing. Especially the discipline of the Spirit! It helps us to intentionally guard our faith from attacks of unbelief, fear, and pride.

Spiritual disciplines is not a well-known term. Ask anyone outside of the church walls. Honestly, some inside of the church walls may not be able to define the term. It’s plausible that a great number of Christians are practicing prayer, fasting, giving, reading Scripture, meditating on Scripture, solitude and silence, and confession, but would not condense these under the term spiritual disciplines.

This unit’s goals are to introduce to some and reintroduce to others the activities and practices that have the potential to make us more like Christ. After studying this unit, you should:• Be able to list spiritual disciplines• Articulate the benefit of each discipline• Have an idea about how to incorporate spiritual disciplines into your life• Understand the purpose of practicing spiritual disciplines• Cite scriptural references for spiritual disciplines• Identify opportunities to share disciplines with others

We might debate the relatively good or bad of certain habits, but there are some things we can do that are definitely good for us. Anything we do that helps us grow in our walk with Christ is definitely good, and we would do well to discipline ourselves to do these regularly and faithfully.