Table Of ContentThe Reformed Apprentice
Volume 4: A Workbook on Private
Devotions
by C. Matthew McMahon, Ph.D., Th.D.
Copyright Information
The Reformed Apprentice Volume 4: A Workbook on Private Devotions By C.
Matthew McMahon
Edited by Therese B. McMahon
Copyright © 2017 by Puritan Publications and A Puritan’s Mind™
Published by Puritan Publications
A Ministry of A Puritan’s Mind™
Crossville, TN 38572
www.puritanpublications.com
www.apuritansmind.com
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a
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the publisher, except as provided by USA copyright law.
First Electronic Edition, 2017
First Print Edition, 2017
Manufactured in the United States of America
ISBN: 978-1-62663-226-4
eISBN: 978-1-62663-225-7
Front cover image is a photograph of “The Scholar at the Table” by Belgian
painter Emile Charles Wauters, (1846-1933).
Contents
The Reformed Apprentice Volume 4: A Workbook on Private Devotions
Copyright Information
Contents
Introduction
Bible Reading
Bible Study
Godly Meditation
The Duty of Meditation
Rules for Meditation
The Basics of Prayer
Wrestling in Prayer
Delighting in Private Devotions
The Fuel of Private Devotions
The Westminster Directory for Private Worship
Concluding Remarks
Test Yourself
Introduction
“Pray without ceasing,” (1 Thess. 5:17).
“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate
in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in
it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good
success,” (Joshua 1:8).
“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in
the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the
law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night,” (Psalm 1:1-2).
Do you long to be closer in your relationship to Jesus Christ? Every true
Christian does. When considering how one comes closer to Christ, there are a
number of constituted means by which God uses to draw his people into a more
intimate awareness of his person and work. These are deemed, “the means of
grace.” They can be the preaching of the word, the sacraments, prayer, reading
and studying the Bible, godly meditation, Christian fellowship, etc. They are the
constituted means by which Christians draw closer in their relationship with
Christ. The purpose of this fourth volume in the Reformed Apprentice series is to
cover the three spiritual disciplines housed in private devotions. So far this series
has covered the basics of Reformed Theology, Scripture and its interpretation
(hermeneutics) and the doctrine of God and Christ. Reformed Theology,
however, is not simply concerned with doctrine, but how that doctrine works its
way practically into the life of the believer to further conform them into the
image of the only Savior Jesus Christ.
Read Romans 8:29 and 12:2.
This fourth workbook is going to lead you, reader, to consider the best method of
drawing closer to God, and cultivating the three spiritual disciplines of bible
reading and study, prayer and godly meditation.
How would you describe your personal devotions now? Be specific.
Insert a note and write out your thoughts.
How do you incorporate prayer, bible reading, bible study and godly meditation
now as part of your personal devotions?
Insert a note and write out your thoughts.
Consider your personal devotions over the last week. How do they differ? How
are they the same? How long do you spend in devotions each day? How have
you grown this week in your Christian faith in comparison to last week? Or last
month? Or last year?
Insert a note and write out your thoughts.
As with each of the volumes in this Reformed series, the goal of this workbook
is to love God and Jesus Christ more today than you did yesterday. These
exercises work themselves out daily. But they are only as helpful as you are
thoughtful and dedicated. These workbooks are not designed as simply exercises
for you to flex your theological muscles. Those who have worked through the
last three books have heard this before. But I will continue to beat this drum
because any study of God’s word is not simply an intellectual exercise. It is
primarily to gain the real blessing of the Spirit, further conformity to the image
of Jesus Christ, and a deeper fellowship with the Father. What real Christian
doesn’t want that? With every subsequent volume in this series, this goal will
continue to be pressed, and you will need to answer your goals for this
workbook with biblical answers. What do you want to get out of personal
devotions? Think this through.
Take a moment to write down your goal for the study in the space below. Relate
that goal to the purpose of this workbook – this workbook is going to deal with
how you spend your time in effective and biblical personal devotions in order to
know the Lord Jesus Christ more intimately. How will you do this? What is your
goal for this study?
YOUR GOAL OF VOLUME 4:
Insert a note and write out your thoughts.
THREE LEGS TO THE STOOL
The first conviction that the Reformed Apprentice must have in dealing
effectively and biblically with their personal devotions is committing to having
personal devotions daily. There is a twofold consideration on this point which is
exceedingly important. The first is that God commands his people concerning a
daily time of devotions surrounding the bible, prayer and godly meditation. The
second consideration is that Christians ought to see personal devotions as a
delight, not as a burden. If Joshua 1:8-9, Psalm 1:2 and 1 Thessalonians 5:17
were the only 3 Scriptures in all the bible that direct Christians to pray, read and
meditate through God’s word, they would be enough. But there are literally
myriads of bible passages in which God commands, over and over, the duty of
bible reading, prayer and pondering the word of God.
Read Joshua 1:8-9, Psalm 1:2 and 1 Thessalonians 5:17.
“
Prayer makes way for meditating. Meditating relies on reading. Meditating on
the word of God gives matter, strength, and life to our prayers. Bible reading
must first occur, so that prayer can be accomplished with purpose so that the
great matter of meditating on the word of God may ultimately take place in
power of the Spirit. The course of our consideration is guided rightly and blessed
by God when we petition Him to make good on His word to us that we might
come to understand and know Him.” (The Art of Divine Meditation, page 76).
Joseph Hall, (1574-1656)
How would you describe your personal
devotions in light of Joseph Hall’s quote above? Are they, in your estimation,
effective? Why or why not? Would God think so?
Insert a note and write out your thoughts.
It is relatively impossible to sit comfortably on a stool with only two legs. Most
Christians (1) read a passage of Scripture, or a verse in some “daily devotional”,
and then (2) offer up a few prayers of things they need or want to God, and
believe they have fulfilled their “personal devotion” time. They may have never
been taught that the stool of spiritual discipline in relationship to personal
devotions comprises 3 legs. Bible reading, meditation and prayer are all
necessary prerequisites for a successful daily time of personal devotions. All
three of these spiritual disciplines are necessary to fulfill what God has
specifically commanded. Generally, the most neglected spiritual discipline is the
act of godly meditation. This is not to say that bible reading and prayer are
accomplished easily. Let’s consider your understanding of all three for a
moment.
What is prayer? How would you define it?
Insert a note and write out your thoughts.
What is bible study? How would you define it?
Insert a note and write out your thoughts.
What is godly meditation? How would you define it?
Insert a note and write out your thoughts.
It could be your personal devotions are unstructured, undisciplined, and
unworthy of being called spiritual disciplines. Cultivating a personal relationship
with God takes work.
“Spices are only sweet and yield flavors when they are beaten into a powder for
the cook to use. They have to be worked on in order to become useful.” (See the
Works of Richard Sibbes’, Volume 7, the introduction to Divine Meditations).
Ezekiel Culverwell, (1554-1631)
