Category: Interior Life

disciple saint francis

What Does a Maturing Disciple of Jesus Look Like?

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We agree that the mission of the church, and the mission of God in our lives, is to make (beautiful) disciples of Jesus. We also agree that discipling is a maturation process; believers are supposed to “become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13).[2] Another way of saying this is that we are partnering with God to help people follow Jesus and join his mission. All our doctrines, practices, and congregational lives are anchored in these ideas. Renew.org recently published my article on this topic. You can read the full article here. Below is part of the article. But in order to pursue this discipling process, do we not need to know what a maturing disciple of Jesus looks like? How do we know if we are traveling on the road of maturity unless we know what the road looks like? In other words, Continue Reading →

cross forgiveness

Christformation And Embracing Forgiveness

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(This is the first part of an article I wrote titled “Christformation And Embracing Forgiveness” that appeared on the Renew.org website. You may click on the link to access the whole article.) What is God up to in our lives? When we look throughout Scripture, we see that, above all, God is restoring his image in us so we can be fruitful members of his eternal community of love. Restoring God’s image is another way of saying “becoming like Christ,” or as I like to put it, “Christformation.” I would like to explore the importance of embracing forgiveness in order to progress in Christformation. Throughout Scripture, we learn that God has forgiven our sins through the cross of Christ: “Christ died for our sins” (1 Corinthians 15:3, NIV). I want to persuade you to fully believe in this forgiveness from God. In fact, I want us to believe in this Continue Reading →

holy spirit dove stained glass

Ten Dangers Of Experiences Of The Holy Spirit – Part 1

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The Holy Spirit has brought many renewals to individuals and to his church over the centuries, bringing needed refreshment and invigoration to the people of God. During experiences of the Holy Spirit usually there is a strong sense of his presence and believers find themselves experiencing God in ways they never had before. And God may give an individual believer thrilling experiences of the Holy Spirit, including his presence and love, even though there is no church-wide renewal. This continues today. If we want to preserve the benefits God gives in renewal we will be wise to watch out for common dangers of renewals, whether it is individual renewal or community renewal. Here are 10 dangers of experiences of the Holy Spirit we need to watch out for today: If you have been part of a renewal with experiences of the Holy Spirit, did you notice any of these dangers Continue Reading →

anxiety

What Jesus Says About Anxiety

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In 1985 19% of college freshman reported being overwhelmed by all they had to do; in 2016 it was 41%! Anxiety has become a huge social-psychological issue. “Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health concern in the United States. Over 40 million adults in the U.S. (19.1%) have an anxiety disorder.” It affects approximately 25% of adolescents . Mental health providers report that for youth anxiety is often linked to fear of failure, perfectionism, comparisons to others (often through social media), or difficult neighborhood environments. So, let’s look at what Jesus says about anxiety. We all feel anxiety some of the time and some of us feel it much of the time. Anxiety is an issue in every place and time. But the Kingdom of God that Jesus announced was a place where one could become free of anxiety. He taught us the foundation of overcoming anxiety in Matthew chapter 6, Continue Reading →

What is Christlikeness?

How Much Are You Pursuing Christlikeness?

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Here is another excerpt from my new book, A Quest for the Ultimate. The retreat director, Jacob, is guiding the group through Scripture related to pursuing Christlikeness. Kevin reads, “Matthew 7:26, ‘Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.’” “What words is Jesus talking about?” Jacob asks. “He just finished the Sermon on the Mount, which is a long sermon about how to live. So, Jesus expects his followers to practice those teachings.” “Exactly. Kevin, now read John 14:15.” “If you love me, keep my commands.” This says pretty much the same thing,” Kevin observes. “What do these two verses have to do with Christformation?” Jacob probes. After a moment of silence Kevin slowly concludes, “Well, I guess Jesus’ commandments describe how he lives, so if we follow his commandments we will be Continue Reading →