This volume explores twelve facets of the spiritual life: relational, paradigm, disciplined, exchanged life, motivated, devotional, holistic, process, Spirit-filled, warfare, nurturing, and corporate spirituality. Handbook to Spiritual Growth seeks to offer a comprehensive, balanced, and applicable approach to what it really means to know Christ.
“The more we are concerned with what God thinks of us, the less we will be worried about what others think of us. And when we are no longer enslaved to people’s opinions of us, we are free to love and serve them as Christ loves us—with no strings attached.” (Page 40)
“On the human side, we are responsible to work out (not work for) our salvation, but on the divine side, God is the one who gives us the desire and empowerment to accomplish His purposes.” (Page 58)
“What does it take to know Him more clearly? The two essential ingredients are time and obedience. It takes time to cultivate a relationship, and unless we make the choice of setting aside consistent time for disciplines such as solitude, silence, prayer, and the reading of Scripture, we will never become intimate with our Lord. Obedience is the proper response to this communication, since it is our personal expression of trust in the promises of the Person we are coming to know. The more we are impressed by Him, the less we will be impressed by people, power, and things.” (Page 29)
“Richard J. Foster develops a three-fold typology of inward disciplines (meditation, prayer, fasting, and study), outward disciplines (simplicity, solitude, submission, and service) and corporate disciplines (confession, worship, guidance, and celebration). Dallas Willard divides the disciplines into two classes: disciplines of abstinence (solitude, silence, fasting, frugality, chastity, secrecy, and sacrifice) and disciplines of engagement (study, worship, celebration, service, prayer, fellowship, confession, and submission).” (Page 66)
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Bill Shewmaker
10/8/2013
Eduardo Vega
8/20/2013