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Basic Discipleship
Written by Dr. Lester Hutson

This material is copyrighted c2002 and may not be copied or reproduced without the express written permission of the Berean Baptist Church.

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PHASE 2                  INITIAL GROWTH

SESSION 4
SPENDING TIME WITH THE ONE YOU LOVE

          This session places heavy emphasis on getting the disciple into the word of God.  It focuses on his thought life.  Discipler, you must be aware that if your disciple does not establish a serious thought life with God, he will surely backslide and become stagnant and withered from a spiritual standpoint.  It is in our thought life that we are able to make contact and commune with God.  He speaks to us through His word; we speak to Him in prayer.  Both are mental processes.

          One must make time for these activities.  If he doesn't, they won't occur.  Do your best to see that your disciple establishes a regular meeting time with God.  Do not skirt this issue.  It is vital to his spiritual welfare. Make it a high profile issue.  Bring it up at every session for the next few times and ask how he is doing.  Be specific.  Ask when he met with God on particular days.  Ask which passage he read.  Ask what he has learned.

          Ask him about his prayer life.  Ask about his prayer list.  Ask to see it.  Make suggestions.  Pray in his presence.

          Elaborate on meditation.  Tell him the subject of your meditation.  During this session, he is due to explain to you Psalm 1:1-3 in his own words.  Ask him to do it.  He is also due to have been meditating on Psalm 23.  Ask him how it's going.  Discuss this Psalm with him.

          Your next session will take a deeper look at the word of God and the great resource it is to him.  In these sessions it is your goal to make God's word a regular, viable part of the disciple's life.  It is absolutely vital to his spiritual well-being.

          Go through BASIC DISCIPLESHIP FORM #4 (BD#4) with him and place BASIC DISCIPLESHIP FORM #5 (BD#5) in his hand before parting.

          Loving another person involves sharing.  With mortals, love weakens where there is no contact.  If you do not stay in contact with God, spend time with Him, your love for Him will surely wane.  You will backslide, a condition which can develop very quickly.  Look up the word backslide in your dictionary.

          Real and lasting fellowship with God means spending serious time in your heart with Him.

I.       FOR YOUR SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND TO STRENGTHEN YOUR FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD, ESTABLISH A REGULAR MEETING TIME WITH HIM.

A.    Every day, you should get aside from all other things and give your full attention to God.  From the following scriptures, complete the sentences regarding a daily meeting time with God.

1.         Matthew 6:11. We need and are to ask for bread daily.

2.         Exodus 16:14-21. Learn the story of heavenly manna and equate it to our need as believers for God’s daily  provisions.

3.         Psalm 72:15. God shall be praised daily.

4.         Luke 9:23. Self will must be dealt with daily

5.      Daniel 6:10. Daniel had a regular meeting with the Lord three times each day.

6.      Church on Sundays or an erratic meeting schedule with God is not enough. Contact with Him who is the first love of your life should occur daily.

B.   The best time to meet with God is early, when you first rise.

1.      At this time, you are rested and your mind is fresh.You have not yet gotten caught up in the many attractions and requirements of a day that can seize and monopolize your time.

2.      Give at least 30-60 minutes of uninterrupted time to God every morning and more if possible.

3.      Read the following scriptures and let them instruct you about when to meet with God.

      a.      Psalm 63:1-3. “early will I seek thee”

      b.      Isaiah 26:9. At what time did Isaiah meet with God? Early  

      c.      Proverbs 8:17. “Those that seek me early shall  find me”.

4.      Right now, make a covenant with God that you will

      meet with Him on a regular basis at a given time. Write down the time which you committed to God    __________until ________.

          C.          When you meet two main things should occur.

1.        You should READ HIS WORD.

      a..      Bible reading is God speaking to you.

      b.      The only way God will speak to you is through His word. (He may get it to you in a sermon, through a          friend or enemy, or in some other way; and He may confirm through providence what He has written in His word.)

      c..      Job 23:12. God's word is your spiritual food and is more important than natural food.

      d.      Read Psalm 119. List ten practical benefits produced by God's word.

            (  1)      ____________________

            (  2)      ____________________

            (  3)      ____________________

            (  4)      ____________________

            (  5)      ____________________

            (  6)      ____________________

            (  7)      ____________________

            (  8)      ____________________

            (  9)      ____________________

            (10)      ____________________

      e.      Commit yourself to read the word of God daily.

            Record the date and time you made this commitment.  Date:         . Time:________

2.      You should PRAY.

      a.      Prayer is you talking to God.

      b.      Study Jesus' model on how to pray in

            Matthew 6:6-13.

      c.      In your prayer, you should ask God for forgiveness from the defilement of daily sins, thank Him for

            His blessings, praise Him for His handiwork, and ask Him for help.

      d..      Start yourself a prayer list.  Include on it the things and people for whom you wish to pray.  Refer to it as you talk to God in your quiet time.

      e.      Commit yourself to a daily prayer life.  Record your commitment. Date:         . Time:         .

          D.  You will find that a regular, intense time with God will be your greatest source of spiritual strength and renewal.  With-out it you are certain to stagnate and wither.

II.      LEARN HOW TO MEDITATE ON GOD, AND PRACTICE IT REGULARLY.

          A.  Meditation is rethinking and later consideration.

                1.  Even as certain animals ruminate (meditate) or chew the cud to maximize the benefits of that which they have eaten, recalling and thinking on the Lord and what He said maximizes the reality of His presence to us and enhances His word in us.  Meditation

          keeps you in constant contact with Him throughout the day.

                  2.  Read Psalm 1:1-3. To your Christian friend, put these verses in your own words.

          B.    In light of fellowship with God and His care for you, meditate on Psalm 23.

"It Does Make a Difference What You Believe"