Topic:Spiritual Discipline
Text: Joshua 1:1-9

You cannot lead a solid Christian life if you are not disciplined. Let me ask you a crucial question today: Are you disciplined? You must examine your ways to give he right answer. To examine your ways means several things. For example, are you prayerful? In

I Thess.5:17, we are commanded to pray without ceasing. Many of us pray only when we have problems. This means that we have turned God into an electric fan. When the heat comes on, you switch on the fan, and when there is no more heat you switch it off. God expects you to pray always. Pray when all is well. Pray when all is not well. This is to prove to Him that you depend on Him. Many of us do not pray when we are tired. This is understandable. However, God expects us to pray when we are tired. You are to pray without ceasing, whether it is convenient or not. Do you give enough thanks to God?

I Thess.5:18 says: “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” A lot of people are battling with problems today because they don’t generously thank God for what He does for them. All that we do is grumble over what He has not done for us. Do you manifest spiritual discipline? Have you been winning souls? If you have, have you done anything to ensure that they remain won? In John 15:16, the Bible says: “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” Soul winning is a prerequisite to answered prayers. How much time do you spend watching television? Verse 8 of our text specifically states: “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” How are you going to meditate on the word of God if you do not read it? How much time do you spend in a day reading the word of God? Compare the time with the time you spend watching television. I am not asking you not to watch television.

All I am saying is that you should spend less time watching television and more time reading the Bible. God cannot talk to you while you are watching television. If you fail to maintain spiritual discipline the boat of your life may hit the rocks.

Memory Verse: I Thess.5:18 - “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”