Category: Interior Life

Over the centuries many Christian teachers have outlined what it looks like to become a mature Christian. These outlines, or guides, are helpful because they help us see what we are “aiming” for in our Christian life. In other words, they tell us what it means to become a mature Christian. The New Testament speaks many times about what it means to be “mature” or “complete” (sometimes the word “perfect” is used but it means complete in Greek.) This idea that Christians grow spiritually and that we can describe what this looks like along the way is referred to as “stages of growth”. We could also refer to these stages as phases or processes. These stages are supposed to encourage us because they describe the good that is ahead for us. In other words, they help us know what to look forward to. The clearest descriptions in Scripture of some Continue Reading →

The directive to actively pursue purification is one of the most prevalent themes in the New Testament. We can think of pursuing holiness as wiping the mud out of our eyes so we can see God clearly. It is the restoration of our original Adamic image of God which includes freedom from the dirt and grime that robbed us of the vital and peaceful Spiritual life that God desires for us. Holiness becomes increasingly sweeter as we mature because we feel more of the peace and joy that comes with participating in the nature of God. As we grow in holiness we will feel ourselves becoming more at one with our bridegroom. We experience the beauty of holiness and a foretaste of our future marital bliss. So we pursue holiness out of love. Receiving God’s beauty produces delight. When someone finds a gold nugget in the ground it doesn’t look Continue Reading →

I enjoy tennis. And I want to continually improve because it brings some joy to hit the ball well instead of hitting it over the fence. Also, playing well allows me to compete with others without being embarrassed and enjoy the competition. So, I am motivated to improve, and I am willing to sacrifice for it. A while ago, I wanted to improve my forehand stroke by practicing with a ball machine. When I finally had time I checked the weather – it wasn’t good. It was cold and windy, which is not good weather for standing and hitting balls from a ball machine. Should I go? I debated briefly, but I decided to go. I was willing to sacrifice comfort for the sake of improving my forehand. When I got there, it was cold and miserable, and I spent about 20 minutes of my 60 minutes setting up and Continue Reading →

John Ruysbroec, a Christian spiritual writer who lived from 1293 – 1381, had deep experiences of intimacy with God. Below is a quote of his description of what he felt. The second paragraph is a description of our future bliss in eternity. They are both from his book The Sparkling Stone, chapter 3. The love and joy he describes are encouraging and inspirational. He stated in other places that he did not believe in a merger of essence with God, so he was not heretical. His vocabulary may seem strange, but he was looking for words to describe something that seemed beyond words. [Note: the “spirit” refers to our human spirit.] For students of church history, it is interesting that Ruysbroec uses fire language similar to that used later by Richard Rolle and John of the Cross. As you read it, embrace it as something you will experience one day! “[Those who Continue Reading →