Philip Nation - Habits for Our Holiness: How the Spiritual Disciplines Grow Us Up, Draw Us Together, and Send Us Out

Thanks to Philip Nation for this new work on the spiritual disciplines. Habits for Our Holiness will help you grow deeper in your faith and engage more passionately in Gods mission.

CHRISTINE CAINE, author of Unstoppable: Running the Race You Were Born to Win

I highly recommend Habits for Our Holiness, by my good friend Philip Nation. Like an expert guide, he will take you deep into the heart of God and the spiritual disciplines that Jesus followers have practiced for two millennia. But then he shows you how your holiness is the fuel that empowers you to join Jesus in his redemptive mission.

DERWIN L. GRAY, lead pastor of Transformation Church, and author of The High Definition Leader: Building Multiethnic Churches in a Multiethnic World

2016 by
PHILIP NATION

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, Copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. HCSB is a federally registered trademark of Holman Bible Publishers.

Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV . Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.

Scripture quotation marked THE MESSAGE are from The Message copyright by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

All websites listed herein are accurate at the time of publication but may change in the future or cease to exist. The listing of website references and resources does not imply publisher endorsement of the sites entire contents. Groups and organizations are listed for informational purposes, and listing does not imply publisher endorsement of their activities.

Edited by Jim Vincent
Interior design: Ragont Design
Cover design: Simplicated Studio
Author photo: Sheila Martinez Photography

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Nation, Philip, 1970
Title: Habits for our holiness : how the spiritual disciplines grow us up, draw us together, and send us out / by Philip Nation.
Description: Chicago : Moody Publishers, 2016. | Includes bibliographical references.
Identifiers: LCCN 2015039125 | ISBN 9780802413482
Subjects: LCSH: Spiritual life--Christianity. | Christian life.
Classification: LCC BV4501.3 .N379 2016 | DDC 248.4/6--dc23 LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2015039125

ISBN: 978-0-8024-1348-2

We hope you enjoy this book from Moody Publishers. Our goal is to provide high-quality, thought-provoking books and products that connect truth to your real needs and challenges. For more information on other books and products written and produced from a biblical perspective, go to www.moodypublishers.com or write to:

Moody Publishers
820 N. LaSalle Boulevard
Chicago, IL 60610

1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2

Printed in the United States of America

To Angie
Your capacity for love and hope always amaze me.
You have my heart.
Today and always.
I love you.

Thank you for choosing this Moody Collective title. It is our prayer that this book will help you know Jesus Christ more and love Him more deeply.

The proceeds from your purchase help pay the tuition of students attending Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Illinois. MBI offers excellent Biblical training and free tuition to undergraduate students, allowing students to graduate and pursue ministry work without being burdened by extra debt. These students come from around the globe and graduate better equipped to impact our world for Christ. Your purchase makes that possible.

Other Moody Ministries that reach out to impact our world for Christ are Moody Radio and Moody Distance Learning. To learn more, visit moodyradio.org and moodydistancelearning.org.

Thanks again,

The Moody Collective Team

A part of Moody Publishers

O nce upon a time, there lived a people who desperately wanted to be saved from the Dragon Prince. He was a terrible man who appeared to be large but was truly quite small. A master of deception and hateful in his demeanor, he desired nothing but the destruction of the rightful king and his loving followers. But one thing more he desired, to own the affections of the princess of these people. He wanted to own her heart.

So one day he captured Princess Larissa, brought her to his dark homeland, and forced her to live in his cold fortress. But he could never win her heart.

Then a bright and beautiful day arrived for the princess. The valiant king stormed the fortress of the enemy to rescue her. With a mighty blow from his sword, the king defeated the Dragon Prince after a fierce battle.

As he led Princess Larissa back to their kingdom, the people rejoiced. A great celebration broke forth, and the parties that followed were extravagant and seemingly endless. Freedom had been given to the one who had known nothing but captivity. Princess Larissa felt joy and safety and the love of family in a kingdom whose gates can never again be breached.

Its a quaint story, sounding like something you would read your daughter late at night before she drifts off to sleep. Whether youre a guy or a gal, you want it to end properly. You want the bad guy to get beat, the people to be rescued, the princess to be cared for, and the king to march away in victory. It is the way that fairy tales are supposed to end.

The story is emblematic of how we see Christ the King breaking into this dark world on His gospel rescue mission. As we walk through life, we want the assurance that God is not just a passive observer. We need to know that He is active, concerned, and involved. The desire of our heart runs in two directions. We want to know that God will send a Rescuer. And then, in some quiet way, we dare to believe that He might use us in the work of rescuing others.

Throughout my time as a Christian, Ive met people who are seeking to find a path to spiritual truth. I see God at work as He has always been at work: calling people to Himself. One such person is Todd (not his real name). Todd wants to believe something but is unsure what that something will be. Amazingly enough, in one conversation before he was a believer, Todd expressed what I want to be the theme for my own relationship with God. He wanted his spiritual journey to be about God and not about his own needs, desires, and dreams. I was shocked, but in a good way. The Holy Spirit was drawing him to the Father. Todd was being led to desire the King rather than the treasures in the kingdom. How different from the pseudo-spirituality we witness in modern media and bestsellers lists promoting