Reading Report 2

Practicing the Disciplines Reading Report 2

Recap: Practicing the Disciplines Reading Report 1, February 11, 2025

This assignment requires us to choose three disciplines, one each from the three sections in Richard Foster’s book, Celebration of Discipline. For this assignment, we will practice these disciplines, authoring a paper every two weeks on the disciplines. The three disciplines I chose were as follows (the purpose of this assignment is for you to gain a better understanding of the classical disciplines of the Christian faith by actively practicing three disciplines):

1.         From Part 1: Meditation from The Inward Disciplines

2.         From Part 2: Simplicity from The Outward Disciplines

3.         From Part 3: Guidance from Corporate Discipline

I. Meditation

As humans being, we are inclined to worry. As people of the late 20th and early 21st century, we are well aware of how culture today accepts meditation and similar forms such as yoga and tai chi as practices to combat stress and cope with “worry.” When I wrote the first reading report, I was struggling with stress, I am a widowed father to a 9-year-old, only partially employed and working on Greek I, Hermeneutics and Spiritual Foundations for my online graduate classes. Clearly, as we progress through and face daily challenges that often are normal and typical (such as flat tires or dead batteries,) we are continuously reminded that we do not do ANYTHING by our own steam but πάντα ἰσχύω ἐν τῷ ἐνδυναμοῦντί με (SBLGNT), “all things I can do by His Power which strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13, my English translation.) The first time that I translated this verse was when I was studying grammar and semantics of Biblical Greek. It was because of this study that I was made aware of the Greek meaning of the monadic article, that is, the emphasis on the “one of a kind” He who ἐνδυναμοῦντί empowers the weak, and He promises to comfort us and furthermore, promises the Kingdom and Everlasting Life (John 11:25). I have suggested in recent essays that at once we approach the Bible as scholars and as the infirmed in need of healing and comfort. The academic work at times seems to give comfort, but it is only by meditating on His word, are we brought closer to Him.

II. Jesus is Here: Meditation Part 2

I will often mention Sagemont Church of Pasadena, many pastors and Houston Baptist University faculty are aware of dr. John Morgan, now retired, he was the founder of Sagemont in which he preached for over 50 years. He is very dear to me, it is he who said “Jesus Is Here,” and then it became a phrase synonymous with Sagemont philosophy. Not to suggest that Jesus is “here at Sagemont,” (although He is,) it is instead to mean that Jesus is here with us, now wherever we are, He is present with us. This is to inspire the comfort of the Lord with Us, every day not just on Sunday. Christian musician and artist, William McDowell has a song with the lyrics, “Jesus is here, everything I need is here.”

It is by meditation on His word, and the Biblical narrative, coming into a finer understanding, we hear God speak to us as we meet daily with prayer and the meditation on scripture. Foster insists that Christian meditation is “the ability to hear God’s voice and obey his word,”1 Foster adds, “it is just that simple.” Foster emphasizes what a mature Christian knows, God is a living God who seeks closeness to us and has redeemed us and in turn we must seek him daily, it is that simple.

1.        Foster, 2018, pg. 17

14 Day Meditation on Psalm 119 (Printable)

	Psalm 119
1.	Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord. 119:1
2.	I will praise you with an upright heart. 119:7
3.	I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray. 119:10
4.	I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. 119:11
5.	I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.119:15
6.	I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.119:16
7.	Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law. 119:18
8.	Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors. 119:24
9.	I am laid low in the dust; preserve my life according to your word. 119:25
10.	Cause me to understand the way of your precepts, that I may meditate on your wonderful deeds.119:27
11.	My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word. 119:28
12.	I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I have set my heart on your laws. 119:30
13.	I hold fast to your statutes, Lord; do not let me be put to shame. 119:31
14.	Teach me, Lord, the way of your decrees, that I may follow it to the end. 119:33

In two weeks, I will provide further meditations from Psalm 119. With a total of 176 verses in Psalm 119, there is much fruit in the word for meditation in the early mornings before daybreak and before even the birds are awake. A quiet time, reserved for an intimate closeness, to draw near with our Lord, and to quiet the mind in order to reach new depths of understanding with Jesus.

II. Simplicity

In order to practice simplicity, one must get a bearing on what and how it can be practiced. Foster begins by stating “Simplicity is Freedom, Duplicity is bondage.”1   There are many ways then, in which simplicity can be applied to our lives. Foster identifies it as an inward discipline that manifests itself “outwardly,”2 so lets us consider this facet primarily. To have it backwards, would be to begin to simplify the outward without seeking to “simplify” oneself as an inward discipline. The path to outward simplicity is an inward humility. We are formed by the word:

“Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you” (James 4:10).

We humble ourselves when we first surrender our lives to Jesus, stating outwardly and with our mouths, “I surrender my life to you Jesus, I deny myself and seek forgive and redemption in Jesus’ mighty name.” This is step one, a crucial step, because we are declaring that we no longer wish to be the Master of our lives but rather let Jesus be our Master, our Lord, our Savior, our Protector, our Shepherd. This is then the purpose of combining the inward discipline of Meditation with the Outward Discipline of Simplicity. It is the course of meditation on the scripture that will be the inward concentration that motivates the outward conversion. Arrival at a simplified life by way of devotion will manifest itself in a detachment from material things, objects of status symbols (Harley Davidsons and Camaros), simply losing the desire for these “Inanimate objects.” On my path, it is that very materialism which crumbled as I focused on the word. I can honestly say, I once collected motorcycles and cars, and I have sold them all and have no desire for them not in the least. In the course of my life, these outward status symbols lost their meaning, and I found freedom. Our greatest example is Jesus who “found in

1.        Foster, 2018, pg. 79

2.        Ibid., pg. 80

appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2:8).

III. Guidance

Two out of the three disciplines we have discussed are dependent on a commitment to the Bible, first establishing a relationship with Jesus in surrendering to him, and then in engaging with the Bible to Hear and Read, Learn and Emulate God’s word as it permeates our very consciousness and are transformed to become Holy, as He is Holy (Leviticus 19:2). It is clear that the corporate discipline of Guidance will and must be informed by scripture as well. In seeking to Hear God speak to us; we are seeking to be guided by Him. In surrendering to Him, we are saying, “You are my shepherd, I will follow your voice” and Christ has declared of His followers “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27NIV). It is Christ who declares Himself “our divine shepherd,” and corporately we are His followers, His sheep who seek and know His voice. Therefore, as a corporate discipline, Foster argues that God “instructs the individual through the group experience.”1   I have chosen to include it into this reading report series so as to gain insight and understanding into a corporate discipline such as this. Foster cites Matthew 5:19-20: “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven, for where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them” (NIV). Foster affirms that when “people genuinely gather in His name, His will could be discerned.”2 Historically, the disciples are led by the Spirit and accomplish remarkable feats and today we seek guidance of prayer groups, friends and colleagues and in churches who are congregational who pray and make decisions together for church business. We seek God’s input when we pray together for our community.

1.        Foster, 2018, pg. 176

2.        Ibid., pg. 176

God calls Abraham and from Abraham God has a people whom he rescues from Egypt. He makes Imperatives for them for “Holyness.” For reflecting in Holyness imperatives made to a community, Israel, the Chosen people of God.

Leviticus 19: Imperatives for being “Holy” (Verses are summarized)

19:1-2 The Lord said to Moses, “Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy-

19:3  Each of you must respect your mother and father, and you must observe my Sabbaths. 

19:4 Do not turn to idols or make metal gods for yourselves. 

19:5-8-On Sacrifices, it suggests that your sacrifices be known, we know Jesus changes this.

19:9 This law/verse requires the Israelite to leave grain available for the poor.

10 The same for the vineyard: Leave them for the poor and the foreigner.

11 Do not steal

“‘Do not lie.

“‘Do not deceive one another.

12 Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God.

13  Do not defraud or rob your neighbor.

     Do not hold back the wages of a hired worker overnight.

14 Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind but fear your God. 

15 Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great but judge fairly.

16 Do not go about spreading slander among your people.

    Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. 

17 Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt.

18  Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.

THE FARM DECREES

19 Keep my decrees. Do not mate different kinds of animals.

B. Do not plant your field with two kinds of seed.

Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material.

ANCIENT LAWS

20 If a man sleeps with a female slave who is promised to another man but who has not been ransomed or given her freedom, there must be due punishment. Yet they are not to be put to death, because she had not been freed. 

21 The man, however, must bring a ram to the entrance to the tent of meeting for a guilt offering to the Lord. 

22 With the ram of the guilt offering the priest is to make atonement for him before the Lord for the sin he has committed, and his sin will be forgiven.

23 When you enter the land and plant any kind of fruit tree, regard its fruit as forbidden.

For three years you are to consider it forbidden it must not be eaten. 

24 In the fourth year all its fruit will be holy, an offering of praise to the Lord. 

25 But in the fifth year you may eat its fruit. In this way your harvest will be increased.

26 Do not eat any meat with the blood still in it.

    Do not practice divination or seek omens.

SOCIAL CONSIDERATIONS

32 Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. 

33 When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. 

34 The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself

35 Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity. 

36 Use honest scales and honest weights, an honest ephah and an honest

37 “‘Keep all my decrees and all my laws and follow them. I am the Lord.’”

Works Cited

Foster, Richard J. Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth. Harper One, 2018.