book #4: disciplines of a godly man

"it is an immutable fact that we will never get anywhere in life without discipline - especially in spiritual matters...none of us can claim an innate spiritual advantage. none of us are inherently righteous, none of us naturally seek God or are reflexively good.  therefore, as children of grace, our spiritual discipline is everything


no discipline, no discipleship!
no sweat, no sainthood!
no perspiration, no inspiration!
no pain, no gain!
no manliness, no maturity!" (p.224)

this comprehensive look at spiritual disciplines is definitely a must read for any guy that's serious about being sold out for Christ!  i will confess that it's taken me a while to finish the whole thing because i read a chapter a week (for the most part) for a weekly book study with some coaches at north montgomery high school...and i just today went back and finished the 4 chapters that i had missed.  but i purpose to come back and revisit this book in the future, because it is packed full of in-your-face, Biblical insight into how to truly become a God-honoring man.  i was first impressed by kent hughes' commentary on the book of ephesians, and this book has since sold me on his style of expositional teaching.  although each chapter dealt with a specific topic of discipline, he would most often simply exegete a passage of Scripture or a narrative from the Bible to pull out the Biblical principles that informs men of how God wants us to live specific to each facet of discipline.  each chapter carried a powerful message that was Biblically sound, insightful, practical, prophetic and urgent!

it covers the disciplines of: purity, marriage, fatherhood, friendship, mind, devotion, prayer, worship, integrity, tongue, work, church, leadership, giving, witness and ministry.  and the resources at the end of the book also include helpful tools that aid in the practical outworking of many of these disciplines.

this book will remain a constant tool in my development as a man of God and my ministry to others in search of living disciplined, Christ-honoring lives!  anyone needing and wanting help to become a man of God needs to read this book!