Jeff Ragan’s Reviews > Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, Study Guide > Status Update

"Age and experience by themselves don't increase your spiritual maturity. Becoming like Jesus doesn't happen incidentally or automatically with the passing of birthdays. Godliness, as 1 Timothy 4:7 says, requires a deliberate discipline. The Discipline of learning transforms accidental learners into intentional learners" (127-8).

"Fasting can be a testimony - even one directed to yourself - that you find your greatest pleasure and enjoyment in life from God. It's a way of demonstrating to yourself that you love God more than food, that seeking Him is more important to you than eating, that Jesus - the bread of heaven (see John 6:51) - is more satisfying to you than earthly bread" (111).

"When you consider how God has given you the greatest possible gift in His Son, Jesus Christ, when you recall the mercy and grace He applies to you, when you reflect on how He provides all you have, and when you remember that you are actually giving to God, you should be able to give thankfully and cheerfully" (97).

"I can understand why the person who serves God in an attempt to earn his way to heaven doesn't serve with gladness. But the Christian who gratefully acknowledges what God has done for him or her for eternity should be able to serve God cheerfully and with joy" (80).

"Evangelism is presenting Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit to sinful people, in order that they may come to put their trust in God through Him, to receive Him as their Savior, and serve Him as their King in the fellowship of His church" (66).

"Focus your mind and heart on the worthiness of God and praise Him for who He is. Thank Him for His willingness to meet with you in worship every day. Focus on His character as revealed in Scripture and respond to Him sincerely. Allow yourself to be fully preoccupied with Him. Allow your deep feelings for Him to well up within you and let them out through praise and adoration" (63).

"There is a sense in which prayer needs to be taught to a child of God no more than a baby needs to be taught to cry. But crying for basic needs is minimal communication, and we must soon grow beyond that infancy" (42).

"So let's define meditation as deep thinking on the truths and spiritual realities revealed in Scripture, or upon life from a scriptural perspective, for the purposes of understanding, application, and prayer" (30).

"No other Spiritual Discipline rivals the importance of the intake of God's Word. No other Spiritual Discipline can compensate for the lack of it. Without feasting on the food of Scripture, no one will enjoy a growing, healthy Christlike life. Bible intake is not only the most important Spiritual Discipline, it is also the most broad. It actually consists of several subdisciplines" (15).