Growing Toward Godliness – Ten Practices for a New Year

⁷ But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; ⁸ for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.  1 Timothy 4:7–8

Big Idea– Godliness doesn’t happen by accident; it happens by intention.

Practice 1# – Living In The Word.

 Psalm 1:1–3  – How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
² But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. ³ He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.

 Joshua 1:8 – ⁸ This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.

 James 1:22 – ²² But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.

WHY STUDYING IS SO HARD

1. WE CONFUSE FAMILIARITY WITH FORMATION
2. WE LIVE IN A DISTRACTED, FRAGMENTED WORLD
3. WE PREFER INSPIRATION OVER INSTRUCTION
4. APPLICATION EXPOSES AREAS WE’D RATHER LEAVE UNTOUCHED
5. WE OVERESTIMATE COMPLEXITY & UNDERESTIMATE CONSISTENCY
6. WE TRY TO DO IT ALONE INSTEAD OF IN COMMUNITY
7. WE FORGET SCRIPTURE IS A SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE