An addendum to your assignment:

Understand that what you are undertaking is a discipline. It does not in itself make you righteous or obedient. But we are not trying to be obedient anyway. We are not trying to be righteous. All hope in that direction has been abandoned. We are undertaking to do what is in our power which will enable God to do in us what we cannot do by direct effort. (If you don't like the word enable, substitute allow or permit!)

You will not merit God's favor by practicing a discipline. We do not stand on merit. Merit is not the issue. Life is the issue-a life beyond our merit.

We have come to Him because we desire His kind of life. An eternal kind which means an interactive one with a Trinitarian God. Loving Him, cohabitation with Him and obedience are inseparable parts of our new life from above into which our regeneration naturally develops.

Consider Jesus consoling words to His first followers: "If you abide in my word, then you are truly disciples of mine, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:31-32)

One who does things to meet the grace of God in their life will come to know the truth, the actuality and reality of His life in them and the action of the Kingdom of God with them. In turn they will be enabled to live free from the bondage of sin and enjoy a life of growing fullness in their knowledge of God.

Our disciplines in this direction, as with our obedience is sloppy and inadequate as we begin our apprenticeship to Him, but remember, you aren't aiming at obedience. You aren't trying to obey. You are becoming the kind of person who would obey. The particular place of your life as a disciple is precisely obedience where you are.

Actually leading a life caught up now in the Kingdom of the Heavens in which God eternally reigns. No wonder we are the light of the world as we live in the midst of a broken and ruined humanity a real life-a life found in companionship with Christ and His Kingdom.

Jesus was right, 'A city set on a hill cannot be hidden'.

-Brian

(p.s. Brian's assignment was laid out for us in his January 4th message notes available this week on our website: www.donnellybiblechurch.com
-The Tech Dept :) )