Here is a nice little article from The Navigators on how God can be trusted because He understands our struggles in life. Here is a takeaway for me: “God has entered the trenches. He has eaten the same food and been struck by the same bullets.“
The presence of the Holy Spirit can always be recognized by the way He moves us toward what Jesus would be and do (John 16:7–15). When we inwardly experience the heavenly sweetness and power of life—the love, joy, and peace—that Jesus knew, that is the work of the Spirit in us.
From The Great Omission: Reclaiming Jesus’s Essential Teachings on Discipleship. Copyright © 2006 by Dallas Willard. All rights reserved. Used with permission of HarperCollins Publishers.
This is some fine writing from author and Bible teacher Frank Viola!
“The first thing we should do [to bring strongly before us the joyous vision of the kingdom] is emphatically and repeatedly express to Jesus our desire to see Him more fully as He really is. Remember, the rule of the kingdom is to ask. We ask to see Jesus, and not just as He is represented in the Gospels, but also as He has lived and lives through history and now, and in His reality as the One Who literally holds the universe in existence. He will certainly be aware of our request, just as you would be aware of anyone expressing their desires to you in your house.
We should make our expression of desire a solemn occasion, giving at least a number of quiet hours or a day to it. It will also be good to write down our prayer for His help in seeing Him. We should do this privately, of course, but then we should share what we have done with a knowledgeable minister or friend who could pray with us and talk with us about what we are doing.”
From The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God. Copyright © 1997 by Dallas Willard. All rights reserved. Used with permission of HarperCollins Publishers.
So begins a series of short excerpts from the writings of Christian thibnker and author Dallas Willard. He had a deep and unique insight into truly living as a disciple of Christ……..
Now, disciples of Jesus are people who want to take into their being the order of the kingdom of God that is among us. They wish to live their life in that kingdom as Jesus himself would, and that requires internalization of its order. Study is the chief way in which they accomplish that. They devote their attention, their thoughtful inquiry, and their practical experimentation to the order of the kingdom as seen in Jesus, in the written word of scripture, in others who walk in the way, and, indeed, in every good thing in nature, history, and culture.
Thus Paul’s practical advice from his jail cell to his friends at Philippi, “Whatever things are true, serious, right, pure, lovable, well regarded, any virtue and anything admirable, let your mind dwell on them. What you have learned, received, heard, and seen in me, do that. And the God of peace will be with you” (Phil. 4:8–9, PAR). For all such good things are of God and his reign.
From Renewing the Christian Mind: Essays, Interviews, and Talks. Copyright © 2016 by Willard Family Trust. All rights reserved. Used with permission of HarperCollins Publishers.
The Book of Isaiah is one of my very favorite books in all of the Bible, and is very rich in theology. It is the most quoted Old Testament book in the New Testament, but for those of us who are outside of the Jewish culture and unfamiliar with the ancient Israelite history, it can be overwhelming to understand the contemporary aspects of the prophecy. This article does a great job in organizing the book in a way that makes a lot of sense! From The Gospel Coalition……………..
I think this is a really lovely and encouraging article — but not just for parents. The New Testament teaches that we are drawn to Jesus and thus to the Father, through His kindness and gentleness. From Crossway…………….
Here is a helpful — what the author of the article calls a “walkthrough” — of the Gospel of Luke; that Gospel that most demonstrates how Jesus is the Savior of the whole world. From Knowable Word…………….
https://www.knowableword.com/2021/02/19/luke-the-worlds-salvation-has-arrived/
Trick question: “Our” righteousness can’t exceed that of the Pharisees. That is why we take hold of the righteousness of Christ. From Christian Crier………………….
As much as we might want to think otherwise, our greatest growth — both emotionally and spiritually — often takes place during and after times of trials and suffering. This marvelously insightful article explains how this works scripturally. From Pierce Taylor Hibbs………………..
The Secret to Spiritual Growth: The Suffering Circle
