Category: Interior Life

struggling with his energy

Struggling With All God’s Energy

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Though you may not get involved in debates about free will versus God’s sovereignty, you probably still think about how much to rely on your efforts and how much to rely on the Holy Spirit’s efforts. If you want to learn patience, do you exert as much fortitude as possible or do you wait for strength from the Spirit? For help with this, consider Paul’s description of his ministry in Colossians 1:28-29: “That we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me (ESV). This is a strange statement. How can someone struggle but use someone else’s energy to do so? I can work with my own energy and you can work with your energy, but you cannot work with my energy. Even if I somehow inspire you with my energy, you still can’t use my energy to Continue Reading →

mind set on the Spirit

How To Set Your Mind On The Spirit

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We know that walking in the Spirit is an essential Christian practice. However, it can feel too abstract at times. Romans 8:5-6 has a helpful guideline for walking in the Spirit: “Those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace” (NIV). This meditation will help you to set your mind on the Spirit. Absorb. Consider the meaning of each phrase. What is the purpose of the passage? What does the Spirit desire? Read it with your name in it. Then imagine Jesus in front of you speaking these words to you; how does this affect you? Ask him any questions you have. Ruminate on setting your mind on the Spirit’s desires. Understand it and let it sink in. Feelings. How did you feel Continue Reading →

Jesus the shepherd

How A Gaze Can Transform You

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One of the most powerful passages in Scripture is 2 Corinthians 3:18 which reads: “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another” (ESV). The idea is that as we gaze on Christ, God transforms us into Christ’s image. We will learn to practice this in today’s post; give yourself at least two minutes to do this. Absorb. Consider the meaning of each phrase. Read it with your name in it. Then imagine Jesus in front of you speaking these words to you as you gaze on his face; how does this affect you? Ruminate on this process, understand it and let it sink in. Feelings. How do you feel as you do this? Express your feelings to God. Truth Commitment. Invite God to reveal your heart then ask yourself: How much do Continue Reading →

new earth

How To Improve Your Eternal Perspective

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This is a short meditation on our destiny, designed to produce a stronger eternal perspective so that we can follow Jesus more closely. The passage is: Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp Continue Reading →

What is Christlikeness?

What Does It Mean To Be Christlike?

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We know that our highest calling is to be Christlike and love God. But what are the essentials marks of Christlikeness? This post summarizes Christlikeness into five categories. This should help us to examine our lives and pursue areas of growth. Christ fully abided in the Father, which produced everything else in his life. He was filled with the virtues of God, and these virtues led to fruitful deeds, which is one of humanity’s original callings (“Be fruitful”, Gen. 1:28). This is an important element of the image of God, for God is the fountain of fruitfulness. This included actively loving people and healing their bodies and hearts. On Earth, Jesus employed all his faculties to impact others with his words and actions and developed disciples who would carry on his work after him. We are to do the same in our families, occupations, communities and societies. Whoever abides in Continue Reading →