Victory Leadership Podcast - Spiritual Disciplines

Summary

In the latest episode of the Victory Leadership Podcast, host CJ Nuna interviews Bishop Manny Carlos on the significance and role of spiritual disciplines in a Christian's life. The discussion addresses common practices such as prayer, Bible reading, fasting, and generosity, emphasizing that these disciplines do not make one more spiritual but rather position them to receive God's grace. Bishop Manny reflects on his personal journey and asserts how spiritual disciplines have consistently impacted his walk with God over three decades. The key takeaway is the importance of forming these habits to foster a deeper connection with God and effective leadership.

Highlights

• Spiritual disciplines like prayer, Bible reading, fasting, and generosity help you grow with God. 📖✨
• These disciplines position you to receive grace, not to earn favor with God. 🙌
• Consistency and becoming a creature of habit make spiritual disciplines easier over time. 🕰️
• Bishop Manny’s personal story illustrates the long-term impacts of spiritual practices. 📅
• Fasting is seen as a mystery but positions believers for breakthroughs. 🎯
• Generosity becomes a natural expression of God's character as one matures spiritually. 🌍
• Seeking God early sets a positive tone for the day, showing devotion and priority. 🕊️

Key Takeaways

• Spiritual disciplines are habits that help you grow in your relationship with God. 🌱
• Training spiritually parallels physical training, benefiting your spiritual 'health'. 💪
• Practicing spiritual disciplines allows you to receive God's grace, not earn more love. 🙏
• Consistency in prayer and Bible reading prepares leaders for greater responsibilities. 📚
• Disciplines like fasting and generosity reflect humility and God's character. 🤲

Overview

In the latest episode of the Victory Leadership Podcast, CJ Nuna chats with Bishop Manny Carlos about the pivotal role spiritual disciplines play in a Christian's journey. As they dive into the meaning behind these practices, such as prayer and fasting, it's emphasized that they are not about earning God's love but opening oneself to His grace. Bishop Manny shares insightful anecdotes from his 30-year walk with God, showcasing the impact of maintaining such habits.

The discussion cheerfully tackles the challenges of forming spiritual habits, from the perspective of both new believers and seasoned leaders. Bishop Manny humorously admits to his love for food and the struggle of fasting, yet underscores the significance of fasting as a spiritual exercise and a demonstration of humility before God. He explains that spiritual exercises resemble physical workouts in their countless benefits, guiding believers toward spiritual strength.

In exploring generosity among other disciplines, Bishop Manny draws connections to God's own nature - portraying classic biblical examples and encouraging leaders to inspire others by teaching prayer and scripture reading. The podcast concludes with Bishop Manny's advice to prioritize time with God, ideally in the morning, to set a firm foundation for the day, reinforcing that disciplines foster not only spiritual growth but leadership capabilities as well.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 01:00: Introduction In the introduction chapter of the Victory Leadership Podcast hosted by CJ Nuna, a pastor in Victory, listeners are introduced to the purpose of the podcast, which is to equip individuals to become leaders who honor God and make disciples. In this episode, Bishop Manny Carlos, the chairman of Victory and leader of the apostolic team, is welcomed as a guest. The chapter sets the stage for leadership discussions within the context of faith and discipleship.
• 01:00 - 02:00: Understanding Spiritual Disciplines The chapter discusses the concept of spiritual disciplines, emphasizing their role in fostering a deeper relationship with God. It includes a reference to 1 Timothy 4:8, which contrasts physical training with the importance of training oneself for godliness through spiritual practices.
• 02:00 - 03:30: The Importance of Spiritual Disciplines in Personal Walk The chapter highlights the parallels between physical exercise and spiritual disciplines, emphasizing the lasting benefits of incorporating spiritual practices into daily life. Referencing the Greek term 'gum nasha' akin to 'gymnasium,' it draws connections between the discipline required in sports and activities for physical health, and the spiritual discipline advocated by Paul for holistic well-being in the present and the life to come.
• 03:30 - 05:00: Spiritual Disciplines in Leadership The chapter discusses the role of spiritual disciplines in leadership, emphasizing that they aid in spiritual growth and strengthening one's relationship with God. Spiritual disciplines are portrayed as a means of grace, starting from the righteousness achieved through faith in Christ, rather than through good works. Common disciplines such as praying more and reading the Bible are highlighted as vital practices.
• 05:00 - 08:00: Practical Tips for Developing Spiritual Disciplines This chapter emphasizes that spiritual disciplines, such as Bible reading and prayer, do not make one more spiritual or earn more love from God. Instead, they position an individual to receive God's grace more effectively. The more one engages in these practices, the more they grow in their love for God. Pastor Manny, who is discussed here, evidently exemplifies this as he rises to a position of leadership within his community. The chapter highlights the transformative impact of spiritual disciplines on a person's life and influence.
• 08:00 - 13:00: The Best Time for Spiritual Practices The chapter titled 'The Best Time for Spiritual Practices' discusses the speaker's personal journey and long-term commitment to spiritual disciplines over 30 years. The speaker emphasizes the importance of maintaining practices such as daily Bible reading, meditation on God's Word, prayer, worship, fasting, and generous giving. These disciplines were learnt early in the speaker's spiritual journey and have been consistently maintained as a central aspect of their faith. The chapter underscores the continued relevance and importance of these spiritual practices in nurturing a personal relationship with God.
• 13:00 - 14:30: Final Thoughts and Encouragement In the chapter 'Final Thoughts and Encouragement,' Pastor Manny reflects on his journey and his unexpected path to leadership. He never aimed to be a leader; instead, his initial goal was to deepen his relationship with God, who saved him. Throughout his daily walk and adherence to spiritual disciplines, he learned to listen to God's call. Over time, Pastor Manny recognized the divine calling on his life, acknowledging that spiritual practices allowed him to hear, respond, and continue receiving the grace needed to fulfill God's work.

Victory Leadership Podcast - Spiritual Disciplines Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 [Music] hello everyone I'm CJ nuna I'm one of the pastor's in victory and you're watching the victory leadership podcast this podcast is designed to equip you to be the leaders God has called you to be as we honor him and make disciples so today we have with us Bishop Manny Carlos and he's the chairman of victory leading our apostolic team Bishop Manny welcome to the victory leadership podcast well glad to be with you and with everyone bishop Manny we just
• 00:30 - 01:00 started off a new year and obviously discipline is such a buzzword and let's get on right into the topic today can you tell us what spiritual disciplines are spiritual disciplines are habits or practices that are designed to help you grow in your relationship with God I'm reminded of first Timothy chapter 4 verse 8 let me just read it it says here have nothing to do with irreverent silly myths rather train yourself for godliness for a while bodily training is
• 01:00 - 01:30 of some value godliness is of value in every way as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come what's interesting is the word train in the Greek is the word gum nasha okay where we get the word Jim nation which obviously implies physical sports and activities and the implication of what Paul was saying here in the same way that physical exercises benefit us health with our physical health
• 01:30 - 02:00 spiritual exercises that the spiritual disciplines are similar in that they help make you spiritually strong the goal of spiritual disciplines is to help you grow in your relationship with God we need to understand spiritual disciplines are a means of grace the starting point is our righteousness which is our being in right relationship with God comes through faith in what Christ has done not our good works so in other words praying more reading the Bible more which are the common
• 02:00 - 02:30 spiritual disciplines doesn't make you more spiritual it puts you rather in a position where you can receive the grace of God God doesn't love you more if you read the Bible than pray more mm-hmm but when you read and pray the more you get to love God right it was good that you were able to clarify that out pastor Manny and and obviously we have seen the grace of God work in you you're now our bishop and you're now the chairman of victory now how do these disciplines continue to impact your
• 02:30 - 03:00 personal walk with God yeah well I appreciate the commendation you know when I look back over the 30 years now that I've followed Christ the same spiritual disciplines that I learned early on as a follower of Christ are they still the same spiritual disciplines that I do to read the Bible every day to meditate on God's Word to pray to seek his face to worship Him you know to fast to give generously to the kingdom these are the things that I learned early on from the people
• 03:00 - 03:30 disciple in me and you still do this today yes I never aspired really to be a leader all I wanted to know was to do was to get to know God because he saved me Lord Jesus and but it was in this daily walk that I learned to hear from God right and that's when I began to sense over time his call upon my life and I look back and it was the spiritual disciplines that enabled me to hear to respond and to keep receiving God's grace to do his work well thanks for letting us know about that part of your journey pastor Manny now thinking about
• 03:30 - 04:00 spiritual disciplines how important is this then in a leaders life you can only minister from your overflow in other words you cannot give what you don't have if we're going to teach people spiritual disciplines we need to be walking in at them ourselves right and I remember asking pastor Steve this question some years ago even he preached a powerful message at that time I mean he always does and I asked him one time pastor Steve how did you prepare for such a message
• 04:00 - 04:30 you know what he said I mean how ask him how long did it take for you to prepare for this message well then his answer then was 20 years in other words it wasn't the 10 to 15 hours that he spent studying that enabled him to preach it was his consistent write daily devotional time with God seeking God that prepared him for such a great ministry and so for all of our brothers and sisters who are aspiring to be leader you're consistent devotional daily life
• 04:30 - 05:00 with God is what will prepare you yeah for greater things ahead and it's not these spectacular things it's the daily consistent walk with God thanks for that pastor man you know obviously and again for everyone disciplines is not a very easy word it takes time it takes effort now when we talk about Bible and reading your Bible or praying fasting and generosity we know how important it is but how can the leaders develop this in their lives
• 05:00 - 05:30 well this answer may not be so inspiring but it's just doing it consistently over time people are actually creatures of habit mm-hmm think about what you did when you woke up this morning you don't think too much about it but you keep doing it consistently why because it's actually become a habit and so when it comes to reading the Bible every day praying you do it enough you'll find that it doesn't take too much effort because it's such a part of your life no pastor Mandy helped
• 05:30 - 06:00 me a bit in this because I understand on how prayer should be a habit reading the Bible should be a habit but fasting III have to bring up that topic I know you like that very much fasting pastor Manny so how do we develop this as a habit well my stomach cringe just you said the word plastic so I love to eat and the people my friends know that but when I think about God's kingdom purposes as much as I love to eat I realize God's kingdom purposes are so much more
• 06:00 - 06:30 valuable that I'm willing to forego the things that I enjoy that we all enjoy so that we can give ourselves to seeking right fasting really more than just denying your flesh it's really a posture of humility before God and we know God says he opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble but again fasting in a way he's a mystery one pastor said in this way Lord why will not my eating a hamburger advance your kingdom it's a mystery but that's how God works
• 06:30 - 07:00 and so you think about what it is you're believing for you know God God is he delights to give us the kingdom but sometimes the question is not you don't have to twist God's arm to believe for whatever it is you're believing for but sometimes the question is how desperate are you to receive what I want to give you and that's what fasting does is it puts you in a place where you saying Lord we're really believing and desperate for your breakthrough that's why we're willing to do this throughout Scripture this has
• 07:00 - 07:30 been the practice of God's people including our Lord Jesus Christ himself right thank you for that insight pastor man you know on one end another thing I was thinking about is generosity as a habit could you please help us understand that more well I think people are naturally selfish true but when you get born again God changes your heart and I believe generosity I think really becomes more an expression or a desire to imitate who God is because God is
• 07:30 - 08:00 generous John 3:16 the classic verse that all of us know for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life so God demonstrated his love for us by giving of his son and the more you walk with God the more you become like him and so I believe generosity more than a discipline I believe it's really an expression of you wanting to become more
• 08:00 - 08:30 like God thank you for that pastor Manny your wisdom it's really good in that and now I understand that most of our viewers are victory group leaders now how do these disciplines apply in their lives as they continue to lead victory groups yeah I believe it's a victory group leader that you can actually help the people in your victory group is to teach them how to pray to read the Bible and to share their faith to share the gospel well when you're able to do that as a victor group leader you would have
• 08:30 - 09:00 done pretty much what what I believe the Lord expects of us and then we can keep replicating that process again and again now I know discipline takes time it takes effort it takes a an intentional dish it should be something that's intentionally done for it to actually work now are there some practical tips that you could give us so we could be people who could be more disciplined in this area I think when it
• 09:00 - 09:30 comes to reading the word in prayer the best way to learn is to have someone else teach you remember even the disciples in Luke 11 approached Jesus and said Lord teach us to pray the prayer just like John's disciples taught them to pray that's why we encourage victory groups because that's where you learned how to pray and that's where you learn to teach others to pray number two is to get a Bible reading guide I you know there's there's a plethora of tools available for this reading is important but I've learned this more and more that
• 09:30 - 10:00 as important as reading is reading isn't per se it's not really what the Bible encourages reading is simply a precursor to meditating on God's Word the Hebrew word for meditate is translated to ruminate basically it's like that the cow chewing on the cud and getting all the nutrients from the grass that it's eating sometimes we need to slow down a reading allow more reflection then God begins to speak to you
• 10:00 - 10:30 meditation seems to me what the scriptures really encourage us we all work with constraints of time I believe you're one of the best indicators is you read the Bible until God begins to speak to you then when you do that whether it's 10-15 minutes or half an hour then you come come out of your time of prayer strengthened and nourished for the day ahead I appreciate that pastor Manny another thing I was thinking office when we want
• 10:30 - 11:00 to allocate time to read this in your opinion when it's the best time to do this is it in the morning or in the evening that that's a common or commonly somewhere in yes we they just read it there yeah that's a commonly asked question before I answer that can I quickly add though that it's also good to write whatever things God speaks to you through the word and through prayer I think that's again early on as a follower of Christ I learned these disciplines and surprising me not everybody practices that and that's this
• 11:00 - 11:30 is meant to just encourage you consider doing that because it's like your journal your diary with God you can look back years from now and Wow this is what God was leading me so it's really er it's cultivating your personal relationship with God but in answer to your question the good thing with God is you can approach him anytime isn't it that's that's how gracious God is you can call upon him the curtain it says in Hebrews the veil has been removed we can draw near to God with a sincere heart in
• 11:30 - 12:00 full assurance of faith so you can approach God anytime and so some people say you know because I'm busy in the morning sure that's understandable and then at night they do that but I find modeled by Jesus and modeled by the church and modeled by God's people all throughout Scripture it seems like there's a greater benefit when you seek God early in the morning or a first part of your day I mean you know we live in a stress field world isn't it right there's so many things that catch your
• 12:00 - 12:30 attention but when you give your first half-hour one hour or however much time you have it's as if you're saying to God Lord you're my priority it's like you're consecrating the rest of your day by giving your time to read and pray and in many ways it also sets the course of your day one of the things I learned to pray you know in the Lord's Prayer thy kingdom come Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven you're setting the course of your day by setting your priorities and already praying through
• 12:30 - 13:00 them every day you know before I know the things I'm gonna have to do for that day and I lift it up in prayer to God so by the time I leave my home and go to work it's like I've already covered it in prayer and of course you can certainly pray you in today so to me there's great benefit when you pray as a first portion of your day but God gives us access to him anytime as well thank you so much for that pastor Manny any final thoughts to our viewers well it's a great privilege the greatest privilege
• 13:00 - 13:30 to be able to have a relationship with God and reading the word meditating praying worshiping God is such a great joy you know John 17 verse 3 says this this is internal life that they might know you the only true and living God in whom and Jesus Christ whom you sent to me the spiritual disciplines are means yes a means to receive grace but really it's a means to get to know God God loves us as I said whether we spend
• 13:30 - 14:00 an hour or 30 minutes but it's when you spend that time with God that's when you realize how good and loving God is and all the more you love him so spiritual disciplines are simply a means for you to connect with God I think we need to emphasize that because sometimes when you don't feel like well I don't pray enough I don't you know read my Bible enough that can bring condemnation but God is always every attempt that you have to want to reach out to people God the lights in that because he sees what
• 14:00 - 14:30 is in your heart and so we just need to ask God for more grace once again thank you so much for being with us today Bishop Manny and to all the viewers thank you once again I'm CJ noon again this is the victory leadership podcast [Music] you