Daily Archives: September 10, 2018

To be silent in today’s world may be the hardest, yet most rewarding of the disciplines. This simply means not talking. When tempted to talk, one should pray. Like many such disciplines, to begin with a shorter period of time and then increase the amount of time is wise. In silence, one seeks to hear rather than to speak. This is not the same as an attempt to empty one’s self, for any emptying of our heart and mind needs to be intentionally filled by God with His Scriptures. So silence may well be tied to one of the  prayer disciplines. But, quietness so you can hear is the key. Therefore, having your Bible open and ready is wise.

If we run a search for the word ‘serve’ in the New Testament, it would take us quite a while to read all that is said about it. (Reading and studying the uses of the word ‘serve’ in the Gospels may be a helpful thing to do as a Bible Study discipline.) Serving is a key to living the life of following Jesus. To serve well, it would be helpful to identify the gifts and talents that God has given us. However, it’s important to be careful to understand that joyful serving  comes from loving and therefore serving God. Serving for its own sake, or if motivated by guilt, may lead into a works mentality. As an aspect of the fruit of abiding in Jesus, serving can bring us closer to God as we recognize it is Him working through us for His kingdom.