They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

--Parallel verses:
‭‭I Corinthians‬ ‭9‬:‭24‬-‭27‬
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Discipline, in many circles, gets a bad rap these days. When I hear many people talk about their goals and objectives in life, they are based on vacations, wealth, status, or merely getting through a challenging time. And when one challenge or obstacle is passed or conquered, they target the next. The problem with this way of living is clear, when reading the Bible: 1) It is focused on selfish desires, 2) It does not include God’s priorities for us at all, and 3) In the end, it is empty.

First, when we focus on ourselves first, we are making the assumption that we know what is best for us over God. This is a pretty sad place to live, because we will not be controlled by the Spirit of God and have a strong relationship with him.

Second, when we fail to seek out God’s plan for us in his Word, we devalue the God of the Universe, and value ourselves (the ones he created) over Him. This leads to an unfulfilling life. We do not learn to love like he loves or serve like he serves, and we miss the incredible heavenly rewards of doing so.

Finally, living for self is empty in the end. It leads to death, without an ongoing legacy of God’s goodness laid down for our children and those around us.

In the parallel verse here, the Apostle Paul describes an intense discipline process, spiritually, that he compares to an elite athlete who trains to run a race. The elite athlete works their muscles hard to build them, they take their bodies to extreme levels of performance in an attempt to win the race they are competing in. So it should be with us spiritually.

In looking at Acts 2:42, this is the model verse, in my opinion, that outlines how a community of believers should discipline themselves daily. There are four simple disciplines to practice and improve upon each day: 1) The Apostles Teaching — we are blessed to have this recorded in the Bible. 2) Fellowship — this is directed at being together in the living out of life, with other Christ followers, and sharing life’s ups and downs with them. 3) Breaking of Bread — this is a reference to eating together. When we eat together, I have found we open up to each other and become more transparent and authentic in the ways we love. We also build up stores of grace and mercy for those we share meals with. And 4) Prayer — this is our communication with God where we: a) recognize his power and authority, b) lay down our fears and worries at his feet, c) receive his good gifts, d) build hope because of our citizenship in heaven, e) focus our minds on his Kingdom priorities and doing his will in life, f) ask for our needs, g) ask for and give forgiveness, and h) ask for protection from the enemy which wages war against us.

Those who discipline their daily lives in this way will reap the same rewards as the early church did. They will honor God, see him move in the hearts of men, and serve him as pillars of faith that cannot be shaken!

Lord, the disciplines the early church modeled for us daily are key to success in my spiritual life. Help me to not just dutifully do them, but to embrace them and cling to them. I want to train my spiritual body hard and to exhaustion, in order to win in the spiritual races you have called me into. I want to fight my battles with your power — the power of the Lord on my side!