Celebration of Discipline by: Richard Foster
“…if we can quite ourselves enough to listen.” (25)
“Whereas the study of Scripture centers on exegesis, the meditation of Scripture centers on internalizing and personalizing the passage.” (26)
Chapter 3: The Discipline of Prayer
“Prayer catapults us onto the frontier of the spiritual life. It is original research in unexplored territory.” (30)
“The closer we come to the heartbeat of God the more we see our need and the more we desire to be conformed to Christ.” (30)
“But when we pray God slowly and graciously reveals to us our hiding places, and sets us free from the.” (30)
“…we should remember that God always meets us where we are and slowly moves us along into deeper things.” (31)
“It is Stoicism that demands a closed universe, not the Bible.” (32)
“Sen Kierkegaard once observed: ‘A man prayed, and at first he thought that prayer was talking. But he became more and more quiet until in the end he realized that prayer is listening.” (34-35)
“The prayer of guidance constantly precedes and surrounds the prayer of faith.” (35)
“If we are still, we will learn not only who God is but how His power operates.” (35)
“Coincidence? Perhaps, but as Archbishop William Temple once noted, the coincidences occurred much more frequently when he prayed.” (38)
“Units of prayer combined, like drops of water, make an ocean which defies resistance.” (39)
Chapter 6: The Discipline of Simplicity
“Simplicity is freedom. Duplicity is bondage. Simplicity brings joy and balance. Duplicity brings anxiety and fear.” (69)
“The Christian Discipline of simplicity is an inward reality that results in an outward life-style.” (69)
“Experiencing the inward reality liberates us outwardly.” (70)
“Inwardly modern man is fractured and fragmented… He has no unity or focus around which life is oriented” (70)
“Asceticism and simplicity are mutually incompatible.” (74)
“Asceticism renounces possessions. Simplicity sets possessions in proper perspectives.” (74)
“The central point for the Discipline of simplicity is to seek the kingdom of God and the righteousness of His kingdom first – and then everything necessary will come in its proper order.” (75)