JRF's #39 - Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald S. Whitney

This book was recommended to me by a dear friend and student of the author years ago.  I am just now finishing it.  The length of time that it took me to read it does not reflect an inaccessible writing style, insurmountable length, or any fault of the author.  It took me this long to finish because of the level of conviction the book brought about in my life.  Often I felt so convicted either at my need for growth or at my lack of desire to grow in the spheres of spiritual discipline that Whitney lays out that I let the book lie on my desk unopened for weeks and sometimes months at a time.  Yet there it would lie, a silent reminder to me that godliness isn't the natural direction towards which my heart and life freely drift.

And so little by little, word by word, I have plodded through this significant and profitable book.

Using I Timothy 4:7 "Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness" as the jumping off point for the book, Donald Whitney, explores 11 areas of Gospel-centered spiritual discipline that the follower of Christ should be seeking to intentionally grow in:

- Bible Intake

- Prayer

- Worship

- Evangelism

- Serving

- Stewardship

- Fasting

- Silence and Solitude

- Journaling

- Learning

- Perserverance

Whitney does a great job of maintaining a balance between emphasizing the work that the Lord does in the believer with the work that the believer does in light of what the Lord has and is working in them.  He grounds his writing in the Word and offers many practical helps to spur on faithfulness.  Nowhere does it feel like Whitney is endorsing a law or works.

Even though I have finally finished reading this, I think it will probably remain on my desk as a resource and reminder to remain diligent in the pursuit of Christlikeness.

JRF's #8 - Towards Spiritual Maturity by William Still

I had never heard of Scottish pastor William Still but three things attracted me to this book:

1. - It was short
2. - I liked the title
3. - Sinclair B. Ferguson recommend it with these words, "He remains the person whose ministry has made the deepest impression on me."

I am glad I picked it up.  I had been unaware of how I had let my confidence in God's sovereignty allow me to drift into a lazy apathy.  Still called me back to the battlefield and showed me how God's sovereign work on the cross was both the reason I am at battle as well as the power against the enemies within and without that rage against my soul.  The Cross of Christ wages war against my sinful flesh and protects me from the very real Satan.

I particulary appreciated Still's chapter entitled The Military Training of the Christian Soldier which laid out the truth that at times we need to know how and to what Refuge we are to retreat from evil, at times we are able to stand firm against the onslaught of the Evil One, and how and when we are to advance against the forces of Darkness with the Truth and Life of the Risen Savior.

I will be chewing and digesting this one for years to come.  I encourage you to dig in yourself.