First Baptist Church, San Luis Obispo

Generally we think that a life of discipline must mean drudgery, painful practices and boring, empty motions. But this is not so! Spiritual practices are a way of experiencing the truth of the Gospel—that God is good, forgiving, present, and has done everything needed to secure our joy in Him forever! An approach to spiritual practices that does not give birth to joy is empty and entirely unbiblical.

Celebration is a central practice of the Christian life because we have very, very much to rejoice in! God is constantly pro- viding good things for us, both magnificent and simple. Relationships, sunrises, birdsongs, forgiveness, coffee, careers, friends—all come from the hand of God!

Celebration is a very serious practice. It is not a superficial time for having fun “just because.” It is the intentional pursuit of a deep recognition of God’s goodness, through meaningful, weighty expression of joy. That’s not easy! It takes thought, care, planning, time. But intentional celebration gives us a deep sense of God’s goodness.

For more from the Bible, look at Zephaniah 3:17; Psalm 16, 47:1, 34:7; Philippians 4:4-7; John 15:11. 

Click here to download:

celebration.pdf (52 KB)

(download)

Click here to download:

celebration.pdf (52 KB)

Of all the many stories that we like to tell ourselves here in America, perhaps none is so intoxicating as the illusion of control. People do all sorts of things to maintain control—worry, manipulate, lie, cheat... the list goes on. Many of our sinful behavior stems directly from the fear that drives us to seek control. But Jesus counsels us instead not to worry about anything, but to seek God’s kingdom and leave all the rest in God’s hands to provide as he will. And Paul tells us not to be anxious, but to pray continuously. Both of them promise that if we let go of control, we will find abundant, life-giving peace.

Practicing detachment from outcomes helps us in two ways: we become aware of how very often we do try to control our circumstances; and we take Jesus up on His words and see what happens. Approaching this practice experimentally allows us to simply see for ourselves that Jesus’ way is best!

For more from the Bible, look at Matthew 6:7-13, 25-34; Hebrews 11:6-16; Philippians 4:4-7; Habakkuk 3:17–19. 

If you’re like many Americans, the list is staggering. Cell phones, iPods, televisions, computers, radios, books, and of course the people we interact with each day. Information comes at us so quickly and in such great quantity that it is hard for us to know what to do with it all. Living in this age is like drinking from a fire hydrant, constantly. We’re lucky if anything sticks!

Silence is a practice of restoring the soul and our relationship with God through undistracted attention to Him. It involves taking a time to be free from music and words (read, heard, and spoken) and other sense experiences as much as possible, in order to focus entirely upon the presence and love of God.

For more from the Bible, look at Habbakuk 2:20; Psalm 46:10; Exodus 14:14; Psalm 131; 1 Kings 19. 

Click here to download:

silence.pdf (54 KB)

(download)

Click here to download:

silence.pdf (54 KB)

This practice opens space in our busy, harried lives to stop, set aside all distractions and pay attention to God. Rather than finding our worth in the love and presence of other people, the roles we perform or the possessions we cherish, solitude helps us to rest in God’s love alone. We discover in the stillness and emptiness of solitude that God is with us, always, and that His presence is both deeply satisfying and does not need to be earned.

For more from the Bible, look at Genesis 32:22-30, Psalm 62:5-8, Mark 1:35, 6:31, 9:2; Luke 4:42, 5:16, 9:18. 

Contrary to popular belief, fasting is not a means of inflicting self-punishment and learning to give up things we like. In fact, none of the disciplines of the Christian life are meant to be used as a tool for self-improvement. Instead they all help us re- member something that is already true in Christ. Fasting helps us remember that God has given us a new heart that desires Him above all else. By setting aside something important to us—food, music, the telephone, so on—we are able to step more fully into the reality that God is what we truly need, every day.

For more from the Bible, look at Isaiah 58; Joel 2:12; Matthew 4:1-4, 6:16-18, 9:14-17; Colossians 2:20-23. 

Click here to download:

fasting.pdf (55 KB)

(download)

Click here to download:

fasting.pdf (55 KB)

Throughout the New Testament, Jesus and the apostles urge us to pray always. (See the passages listed below.) We generally assume that by this they mean that we should bring all our needs to God; and this is surely important. But through Church history, many have believed that God intends us to live continually in His presence, with unbroken communication. And this is not a burden, but a privilege. “There is no mode of life in the world more pleasing and more full of delight than continual conversation with God,” writes Brother Lawrence.

Breath prayer is a practice aimed at cultivating the habit of continually abiding in the presence of God. It is a laying hold of the Gospel—for only through Jesus can we have boldness to think God would be near our hearts, in every circumstance!

For more from the Bible, look at 1 Thess. 5:17, Romans 12:12, Eph. 6:18, Col. 4:2, Phil 4:6, Heb 13:15, Luke 18:1, John 15:1-11. 

Click here to download:

breathprayer.pdf (50 KB)

(download)

Click here to download:

breathprayer.pdf (50 KB)

Generally, we associate fasting with abstaining from eating for a period. But a fast is simply taking a break or pause from something that we ordinarily do, in order to grow our sense of dependence on God and see things in a new light. This prac- tice involves purposefully setting aside a period—usually a day—where we take a break from criticism. We don’t indulge in thinking or speaking negatively (even if we are right!). Instead, we open space to speak words that encourage, and think cre- atively about problems. One fruit of this practice is an increased ability to see other people (and oneself ) with compassion.

For more from the Bible, look at Matthew 7:1-2; James 1:19-20, 3:1-12. 

Click here to download:

fast_criticsm.pdf (35 KB)

(download)

Click here to download:

fast_criticsm.pdf (35 KB)

This practice will help you grow in your trust and love for God, by giving you a way to fix attention on who He has shown Himself to be in your life. By purposefully writing a brief, powerful summary of His faithfulness from your past experience, you will find it easier to depend on Him in present and future difficulties. You will be following in the footsteps of His people, who for centuries have written songs and poems to celebrate specific ways God showed His power on their behalf.

For more from the Bible, look at Exodus 13:3; 1 Chronicles 16:8-13; Hebrews 2:1; Exodus 15:1-21; Psalms 78, 114, 116, 135. 

The Bible makes clear that God’s heart is with the outcast, the marginalized, the alien and stranger. He calls us to be with them as well, to make room in our lives for those who have no place to rest. This practice has been central to Christians throughout Church history because of Jesus’ promise in Matthew 25 that, when we feed the hungry and care for the needy, we are caring directly for Him. This practice, then, is a way of welcoming Jesus into our midst as we welcome those He loves.

For more from the Bible, look at Matthew 25:31-46, Luke 10:25-37, Leviticus 19:34, Psalm 113.