The Reformed Apprentice Volume 4: A Workbook on Private Devotions PDF
Preview The Reformed Apprentice Volume 4: A Workbook on Private Devotions
The Reformed Apprentice Volume 4: A Workbook on Private Devotions by C. Matthew McMahon, Ph.D., Th.D. Copyright Information The Reformed Apprentice Volume 4: A Workbook on Private Devotions By C. Matthew McMahon Edited by Therese B. McMahon Copyright © 2017 by Puritan Publications and A Puritan’s Mind™ Published by Puritan Publications A Ministry of A Puritan’s Mind™ Crossville, TN 38572 www.puritanpublications.com www.apuritansmind.com All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided by USA copyright law. First Electronic Edition, 2017 First Print Edition, 2017 Manufactured in the United States of America ISBN: 978-1-62663-226-4 eISBN: 978-1-62663-225-7 Front cover image is a photograph of “The Scholar at the Table” by Belgian painter Emile Charles Wauters, (1846-1933). Contents The Reformed Apprentice Volume 4: A Workbook on Private Devotions Copyright Information Contents Introduction Bible Reading Bible Study Godly Meditation The Duty of Meditation Rules for Meditation The Basics of Prayer Wrestling in Prayer Delighting in Private Devotions The Fuel of Private Devotions The Westminster Directory for Private Worship Concluding Remarks Test Yourself Introduction “Pray without ceasing,” (1 Thess. 5:17). “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success,” (Joshua 1:8). “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night,” (Psalm 1:1-2). Do you long to be closer in your relationship to Jesus Christ? Every true Christian does. When considering how one comes closer to Christ, there are a number of constituted means by which God uses to draw his people into a more intimate awareness of his person and work. These are deemed, “the means of grace.” They can be the preaching of the word, the sacraments, prayer, reading and studying the Bible, godly meditation, Christian fellowship, etc. They are the constituted means by which Christians draw closer in their relationship with Christ. The purpose of this fourth volume in the Reformed Apprentice series is to cover the three spiritual disciplines housed in private devotions. So far this series has covered the basics of Reformed Theology, Scripture and its interpretation (hermeneutics) and the doctrine of God and Christ. Reformed Theology, however, is not simply concerned with doctrine, but how that doctrine works its way practically into the life of the believer to further conform them into the image of the only Savior Jesus Christ. Read Romans 8:29 and 12:2. This fourth workbook is going to lead you, reader, to consider the best method of drawing closer to God, and cultivating the three spiritual disciplines of bible reading and study, prayer and godly meditation. How would you describe your personal devotions now? Be specific. Insert a note and write out your thoughts. How do you incorporate prayer, bible reading, bible study and godly meditation now as part of your personal devotions? Insert a note and write out your thoughts. Consider your personal devotions over the last week. How do they differ? How are they the same? How long do you spend in devotions each day? How have you grown this week in your Christian faith in comparison to last week? Or last month? Or last year? Insert a note and write out your thoughts. As with each of the volumes in this Reformed series, the goal of this workbook is to love God and Jesus Christ more today than you did yesterday. These exercises work themselves out daily. But they are only as helpful as you are thoughtful and dedicated. These workbooks are not designed as simply exercises for you to flex your theological muscles. Those who have worked through the last three books have heard this before. But I will continue to beat this drum because any study of God’s word is not simply an intellectual exercise. It is primarily to gain the real blessing of the Spirit, further conformity to the image of Jesus Christ, and a deeper fellowship with the Father. What real Christian doesn’t want that? With every subsequent volume in this series, this goal will continue to be pressed, and you will need to answer your goals for this workbook with biblical answers. What do you want to get out of personal devotions? Think this through. Take a moment to write down your goal for the study in the space below. Relate that goal to the purpose of this workbook – this workbook is going to deal with how you spend your time in effective and biblical personal devotions in order to know the Lord Jesus Christ more intimately. How will you do this? What is your goal for this study? YOUR GOAL OF VOLUME 4: Insert a note and write out your thoughts. THREE LEGS TO THE STOOL The first conviction that the Reformed Apprentice must have in dealing effectively and biblically with their personal devotions is committing to having personal devotions daily. There is a twofold consideration on this point which is exceedingly important. The first is that God commands his people concerning a daily time of devotions surrounding the bible, prayer and godly meditation. The second consideration is that Christians ought to see personal devotions as a delight, not as a burden. If Joshua 1:8-9, Psalm 1:2 and 1 Thessalonians 5:17 were the only 3 Scriptures in all the bible that direct Christians to pray, read and meditate through God’s word, they would be enough. But there are literally myriads of bible passages in which God commands, over and over, the duty of bible reading, prayer and pondering the word of God. Read Joshua 1:8-9, Psalm 1:2 and 1 Thessalonians 5:17. “ Prayer makes way for meditating. Meditating relies on reading. Meditating on the word of God gives matter, strength, and life to our prayers. Bible reading must first occur, so that prayer can be accomplished with purpose so that the great matter of meditating on the word of God may ultimately take place in power of the Spirit. The course of our consideration is guided rightly and blessed by God when we petition Him to make good on His word to us that we might come to understand and know Him.” (The Art of Divine Meditation, page 76). Joseph Hall, (1574-1656) How would you describe your personal devotions in light of Joseph Hall’s quote above? Are they, in your estimation, effective? Why or why not? Would God think so? Insert a note and write out your thoughts. It is relatively impossible to sit comfortably on a stool with only two legs. Most Christians (1) read a passage of Scripture, or a verse in some “daily devotional”, and then (2) offer up a few prayers of things they need or want to God, and believe they have fulfilled their “personal devotion” time. They may have never been taught that the stool of spiritual discipline in relationship to personal devotions comprises 3 legs. Bible reading, meditation and prayer are all necessary prerequisites for a successful daily time of personal devotions. All three of these spiritual disciplines are necessary to fulfill what God has specifically commanded. Generally, the most neglected spiritual discipline is the act of godly meditation. This is not to say that bible reading and prayer are accomplished easily. Let’s consider your understanding of all three for a moment. What is prayer? How would you define it? Insert a note and write out your thoughts. What is bible study? How would you define it? Insert a note and write out your thoughts. What is godly meditation? How would you define it? Insert a note and write out your thoughts. It could be your personal devotions are unstructured, undisciplined, and unworthy of being called spiritual disciplines. Cultivating a personal relationship with God takes work. “Spices are only sweet and yield flavors when they are beaten into a powder for the cook to use. They have to be worked on in order to become useful.” (See the Works of Richard Sibbes’, Volume 7, the introduction to Divine Meditations). Ezekiel Culverwell, (1554-1631)
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