Within the Wesleyan tradition, we are blessed by a methodology handed down to us by John Wesley, but actually rooted in the entire course of Christian history and theology. While it is called the “Wesleyan Quadrilateral.” the steps are quite easy to grasp. They include Scripture, Tradition, Experience, and Reason. When faithfully applied, these steps build upon a strong foundation and yield something beautiful in the end. Like layers of a cake, each rests upon the strength of the former, producing a solid structure in all. The process begins with Scripture.

Our first question in the discernment process is, “What does the Bible say?” Unfortunately, many people wrongfully buy into the idea that we cannot know what Scripture says, or that what we find is relative, merely our own interpretation of what it means, therefore, it is impossible to discover God’s will in the pages of our holy book. Others argue the teachings found there are outdated; out of touch with our modern world. Beyond these concerns, some suggest that we simply pick and choose which scriptures we like, and twist them to suit our needs. Each of these, and other, concerns are rooted in observed misuses of Scripture, but because such abuses are engaged in by some, does not negate the value, nor the effectiveness, of the Bible to guide our lives. We need only abide by good practices as we engage the word of God to discover the heart of God, and the direction of God.

Healthy Practices for Biblical Discernment

Discover what the Bible actually says. It is easy to decide what we want the Scripture to say and then find verses to support our preconceived ideas. The real work of discernment, however, requires us to set those preconceptions aside and actually let the text speak for itself. Biblical discernment is not about forcing our ideas into the pages of the Bible, it is about allowing the biblical word to find its way into us. We are to come to the Scripture teachable; open to what the Holy Spirit will reveal to us  We must always be willing to admit we were wrong, or only partially correct, and let the Bible speak for itself.

Discover the full teaching of the Scripture. It is not enough to look at a verse here, or a verse there, nor can we separate the verses from their context. Simply looking up a word in the Bible may give us a good start, but that cannot be the end. There are other related words and themes to examine, and it is necessary to examine how the whole word speaks to the issue, specifically and generally.

A good example here is the recent emphasis on Jesus’ commands to love. Loving God, one another, and our neighbor are significant commands of our Savior and we must address them with the utmost sincerity. In many places, the modern Church fails to represent and extend the love of God. Embracing Jesus’ call to love in his name is of great importance, but what does loving like Jesus look like?

We might be tempted to believe that Jesus teaches us to love how we want to love, or how we want to be loved. We might interpret his words to look like a form of the sentimentality we see expressed in movies and represented in our culture, but to understand what love meant to Jesus, we must look at the whole of his life to see the way in which divine love is expressed through him. This will include the great sacrificial love expressed in his death and resurrection. It will also include his compassion for those who reached out to him, and his willingness to care for those often rejected by society. However, we will also need to include his willingness to turn over the tables of the money changers, his aggressive comments toward the Pharisees, and his call to a deeper life of holiness in the Sermon on the Mount. Defining love in Jesus’ terms involves examining the full teaching of his life and witness, and so it is with any aspect of our Christian journey.

Discover the difficult passages. It is easy to fixate on one part of Scripture, usually the part we like, and ignore challenging sections and passages. While the Bible is a collection of many writings, they are all equally important to our quest. We may be tempted to dismiss what we call the Old Testament because of its age, or because we believe it is no longer relevant in light of God’s revelation in Jesus Christ, yet this was the very Scripture Jesus used, quoted, and lived by. We may want to focus solely on the Gospels, but the other New Testament writings expand our understanding of Jesus’ teaching. We may even want to focus only on our favorite Gospel, but the four work to give us a more holistic view of Jesus, his ministry, and his teaching. We must not discount any portion of Scripture, but rather, let it all inform our understanding.

When we apply these principles, we will uncover a greater revelation of God’s direction, and we will lay a solid foundation for the rest of our discernment. Tomorrow, our attention will turn to the importance and power of Tradition to refine our biblical discoveries, and to give us clearer spiritual eyes to assess our experiences and discern God’s will. Until then, let the Word of God speak.

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Going deeper with God naturally involves soaking in the Scripture. In these precious texts, we find the revelation of God’s heart and design for our lives, and the world. As we listen deeply to the word of God resonating within our spirit, we deepen our relationship with the Author and we receive greater revelation for our lives.

In Colossians 3:16 we read, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” It is the very design of God that we allow the word of God to dwell within us. More than that, we are meant to experience the richness of the presence of the word within us. As we allow the word to take root within us, we can strengthen ourselves, and our community, and we will find the song of the Lord rising up within us.

One of the passages I return to again and again is Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” By constantly pondering and meditating on the good things of God, we see more of God in our lives, and the light of Christ shines brighter on our path. Soaking in the Scripture is the primary way we “think on these things.”

Many of us were trained to read for distance, and we try to read as much as we can, as quickly as we can. There is value in reading this way because we expose ourselves to more information and can capture overarching themes that we might miss otherwise. There is, however, also a need to read for depth, working to mine all that we can from what we are reading. This is a slower process that allows us to savor the meaning of words, and the application of that meaning to our lives.

Consider the passage of Colossians above. Just the first phrase is full of meaning and insight. Her rare just a few thoughts:

• “Let” – We have an active part in seeing the word of Christ dwell richly in us. God is clearly the source of the word, and it is by the Spirit that we receive the word, but there is part for each of us in the process. We must allow the word to take root. This is much more than merely making time to read it, though that is necessary. We must actively participate in receiving the word. 
• “Word of Christ” – As part of the Trinity, Jesus Christ is the author of more than just the words in red. The words of Scripture are his words that speak life into us. 
• “Dwell” – The goal of engaging Scripture is much more than reading, it is inviting the very word of God to live in us. Through our meditation on the word, we make room for it to make a home within us, shaping our thoughts and flavoring our lives. 
• “Richly” – When God is involved, there is always an abundance. Scripture does more than guide us, or give us information. It overflows into our lives, creating life within us, and through us. 

In just a few words, we can see that there is much to savor. As we soak in the Scripture, we are infused with its truth and our lives begin to reflect its content in how we think and act. There are no shortcuts, and this may seem disappointing yet, like any relationship, the deep value is revealed in extended time together. Yes, there is an investment of time and attention, but the reward is a deep, rich, centered life in God, and the gift of divine revelation for our lives and the world. That is surely worth the time.

May your time soaking in the Scripture, yield deep and lasting fruit in your lives.

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One of keys to going deeper in our faith is a commitment to press into God. The concept of pressing in is often hard to fully understand and can sound like just another piece of Christian jargon. Once understood, however, it becomes a powerful tool in creating a robust Christian life.

So, what exactly does it mean to press into God? Is it reading more Scripture, extending our time in prayer, or being more active in church, or is it something different? While it may include some of these things, pressing in is not just about doing more, it is about persistently cultivating an awareness of God’s presence and savoring that relationship in every circumstance.

If you’ve ever made microwave popcorn, or watched someone else make it, you already know something of the nature of pressing in. The process is fairly simple. You place the bag in the microwave in the proper position, set the timer for the time listed in the instructions, and allow the popcorn to heat and to pop. It is that simple.

Now, imagine the instructions said to heat it in the microwave for 2 ½ minutes, but instead of setting the timer that way, you chose to set it for 15 seconds, then removed it, put it back in for 15 seconds, and repeated this action for a total of ten times. The total heating time would be the same, but the result would be far different. Instead of a bag of delicious popcorn, you would produce a bag of burnt kernels that never popped.

For many, the Christian experience is made up of occasional visits with God, rather than a continued life of staying in God’s presence. A devotional here, a church service there, mingled with an occasional prayer, will not produce the same results as soaking up God’s presence and saturating ourselves in the truth.

Jesus told his disciples, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” He was clear that our identity, direction and life were to be found in relationship with him. He also said, “My word is truth.” Which is why we need to keep ourselves immersed in God’s word. When we regularly fill ourselves with the word of God, and live in a dynamic relationship with the Living Word, Jesus Christ, we are pressing into the presence of God. It is there that we are transformed.

Saturating ourselves with the truth may mean that we need to study more Scripture and pray more, but it may also mean that we need to meditate on Scripture, chewing it over and over to release its deeper meaning. We may need to memorize parts that strengthen our spirits. As the Psalmist wrote, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. We may need more personal worship, more stillness to listen, more time spent in the community of faith, and more awareness of God’s presence. There is no formula, rather it is an intentional decision to seek God in all things, at all times, and in all places. Pressing in means that we do not shrink back, or settle for what we already have in our relationship with God. Instead, we consistently continue to cultivate that relationship so that better fruit is produced and in greater abundance.

The Scripture clearly states that, “we reap what we sow.” The more of our resources and ourselves we sow into our relationship with God, the greater the harvest of faith we will see in our lives, and the deeper that faith will become. As we press into God, we are filled to all the fullness of Jesus Christ, and his presence overflows our lives into our circumstances, our families, and the world. Regular visits with God are good, living in God’s presence is great. Deep faith requires the deep roots that come from saturating ourselves with the presence of God.

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My wife and I just returned from a trip to our hometown. It was good to see family, visit some familiar places, and eat some favorite foods. We even brought some of those foods home with us. For me, it was also a kind of reset on my life. Something about being back in that environment reminds you of the steel-like strength that runs though you. It was a very visceral experience that helped me reconnect with who I am and where I am from.

Hopefully, each of us has a place like that, somewhere we can go to recapture our identity. It is a valuable gift to make a pilgrimage to places where we can look back and look forward at the same time; where we can allow the things that shaped us to give us fresh vision for our future. It was a special blessing for us to be there at the beginning of the New Year.

Spiritually, we need those reset moments as we make our way along our journey. In a way, this was the theme of many recent blog posts as we journeyed through Christmas and into New Year’s Day. This season is especially good at helping us reconnect with our identity in Christ, our place in the Christian story, and our relationship with others. However, holidays are not the only times we can connect with the roots of our faith. Every day offers us opportunities to engage God, and “reset” our faith.

Along with the regional foods we brought home, I also made sure to bring back some items with the Pittsburgh Steeler logo. Yes, there is a crucial game tonight, but I will not be there, and will likely be wearing these treasures in the privacy of my own home. Yet, they will remind me each time I wear them, or see them, of my roots. They will call me back to who I am, and to what I learned about myself on this trip.

Likewise, my Bible, my spiritual and prayer journal, my appointments with God, and every other spiritual reminder in my life, calls me back to my rooted place in God. Each of us can take advantage of these parts of our daily lives to allow the Holy Spirit to gently correct and inspire us. We can allow these points of connection to reveal God’s heart toward us and vision for our lives. Our prayer time can reorient our lives, our time in the word can strengthen and transform us, and our worship can reset our priorities.

There may be times where we need extend time with God to allow ourselves to become centered on the path once again, but the moment-by-moment course corrections are just as valuable. Each becomes a tool God uses to shape and direct our lives.

As we approach the end of the Christmas season, and embrace what awaits us in 2015, we can let God work in all our circumstances to connect us to him, to one another, and in ministry to the world. Just imagine what God is about to do, and who we are about to become in Christ!

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