SEVEN PILLARS OF DISCIPLESHIP: PRAYER AND DEVOTION: BOOK 3

By Terren Dames

My Meditation, My Heart

This book is based on the idea of personal worship—that is prayer, devotion, and meditation. As believer in Christ Jesus, we are all called to present ourselves a living sacrifice, pleasing and acceptable to God as a rational service of worship. This book is designed to provoke growth through probing questions regarding prayer to God in accordance with His Word, devotion to God by living according to His Word, and meditation on God’s Word to know the will of God that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

This pillar is speaking to the person who has already received the saving knowledge of Christ Jesus and have become part of His church. To this, individual rests the responsibility to be conformed to the image of Christ—that is, to grow regarding their salvation as they become disciples of Christ. Believing in Jesus does not make one a disciple, but as Jesus said, the one who would choose to become His disciple must first deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him. As a disciple, this is seen through one’s devotion to God and His Word through daily communion in prayer and meditating on God’s Word.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Sep 7, 2021
• ISBN: 9781638146438

Book preview

Table of Contents

Title

Copyright

Introduction to the Seven Pillars Series

Introduction to Personal Devotion: Prayer, Devotion, and Meditation

When God's People Pray

Lesson 1

The Purpose and Practice of Prayer

Lesson 2

The Focus and Goal of Prayer

Lesson 3

Motivation and Preparation for Prayer

A Heart's Devotion to God: Worship

Lesson 4

A Condition of the Heart

Lesson 5

Devotion

Lesson 6

A Deliberate Conformity

Lesson 7

The Renewed Mind

Lesson 8

Marriage as Worship

Lesson 9

My Life, My Home

Lesson 10

The Necessity of Praise

Lesson 11

The Church

Lesson 12

My Meditation, My Heart

Conclusion

Bibliography

About the Author

cover.jpg

SEVEN PILLARS OF DISCIPLESHIP: PRAYER AND DEVOTION: BOOK 3

Terren Dames

ISBN 978-1-63814-642-1 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-63814-643-8 (Digital)

Copyright © 2021 Terren Dames

All rights reserved

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Covenant Books, Inc.

11661 Hwy 707

Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

www.covenantbooks.com

Introduction to the Seven Pillars Series

The seven pillars show us what should be evident in our lives through the working of the Holy Spirit as we grow in spiritual maturity as a result of a deeper relationship with God.

The pillars are as follows:

Salvation

Salvation is the work of the Holy Spirit, whereby He leads one to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as the Son of God through the proclamation of the gospel in which the Holy Spirit calls, regenerates, seals, sanctifies, and glorifies at the day of redemption, all whose names have been written in the Lamb's Book of Life before the foundation of the world (John 3; Rom. 1:16, 8:26–30, 10:10; Phil. 4:3; Titus 3:5; Rev. 13:8, 17:8). For one to become a disciple of Jesus Christ, the power of the Holy Spirit—baptizing the person into Christ's death—must first save the person to conform that person to the newness of life in Christ (Rom. 6:4). This initial step is necessary to begin the discipleship process. A clear verbal presentation of the gospel, an acceptance of one's sinful condition and a willingness to repent and turn to Jesus as the only means of forgiveness, is implied. Every disciple must go through this process and take others through this process (at some point in life). Book 1 clarifies salvation.

Church and Its Doctrines

Church membership, becoming a part of the body of Christ, actually takes place at conversion (pillar 1). Local church membership (pillar 2) takes place only after one has become a part of the body of Christ through conversion (pillar 1). At some point after conversion, the Spirit of God leads the new believer to join a local congregation. At this point, the new believer is introduced to church doctrine and the fellowship of the body (1 Cor. 1:2, Heb. 10:25). Fellowship is essential for that new believer to develop relationships with those of like mind, which helps greatly in the transition from living in the darkness to living in the light (Ps. 55:14, Acts 2:42, 1 John 1:3). Likewise, church doctrine is essential for one's personal development within the body of Christ. Church doctrine helps one understand the practices which guide the believer's daily walk (1 Tim. 4:6, 6:3; 2 Tim. 4:3; Titus 1:9; 2:1, 7, 10). Book 2 provides a picture of the church and its doctrine according to the Scriptures.

Personal Devotion: Prayer, Devotion, and Meditation

Prayer and devotion are the next practical steps in one's spiritual growth after conversion and connection to a local body. This process, as directed by the Holy Spirit, teaches one to draw near to God daily. The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it? (Jer. 17:9). As Paul stated, one must be transformed by the renewing of the mind (Rom. 12:2) to understand the things of God. Prayer, as demonstrated by Christ, is the vehicle that the Spirit of God uses in the drawing process. The other vehicle is the concept of meditation (Ps. 19:14) and singing (psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs) continually in one's heart toward God (Eph. 5:19). Book 3 takes us into a more intimate relationship with God through prayer and devotion.

Bible Study

Paul stated that all Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16–17) and that one should be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15). Scripture clearly teaches that God has revealed Himself through His creation, but His special revelation (the Bible) leads one into an intimate knowledge of Him (Ps. 119). In addition, book 4 will take us through the art and science of biblical interpretation (hermeneutics) and help us develop a greater love for and of the Word of God.

Biblical Christian Worldview

We believe that a true mark of Jesus Christ's disciples is to live in accordance to His Word—the Holy Scripture, the Bible (Ps. 119). This mark dictates that the disciples' practice lines up with their confession of faith (Neh. 9:6). Pillar 5 is only possible after pillars 1 to 2, and some combination of pillars 3 to 4 have been consistently implemented in the believer's life. A biblical or Christian worldview, simply stated, is to view the world and life through the eyes of God (His Word, the Bible), while conforming to all that the Bible dictates is essential for right living as directed by the Holy Spirit (1 Pet. 3:15). Book 5 helps us to take all that we have gathered from books 1 to 4 and practically apply them to daily living.

Stewardship

Stewardship is our managing all of God's resources (finances, time, talent, family, spiritual gifts, physical possessions, etc.) that He has placed in our care until His return (Matt. 25:14–30). A true steward understands that everything, the earth and everything it contains (Ps. 24:1), belongs to God; therefore, stewards are those who seek to manage all that God has allotted to them according to their ability. Salvation, church membership, prayer, devotion, Bible study, and biblical worldview are all active at this point. Book 6 is the time when the rubber meets the road regarding living out our faith as James stated, Prove yourselves doers of the word and not merely hearers who delude themselves (James 1:22). A true steward is the one who has placed