Category: Spirituality

Following Jesus to the Christ At its core, authentic spirituality is not about beliefs. It’s about behavior. Martin Thielen[1] Among the well-intentioned but misguided statements I am most uncomfortable hearing from “Christians” include: “Have you accepted Christ into your heart?” and “Have you surrendered your life to Jesus?” and “Have you been born again?” and … Continue reading Following Jesus to the Christ

Community, Part 3 For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.[1] When we think of community we generally assume a group held together by a common connection in space and time. In other words, communities are often made up of people near to each other geographically (in space) … Continue reading Community, Part 3

Community, Part 2 For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.[1] The importance of being part of a supportive community cannot be overstated, whether considering spiritual growth, salvation, or simply living a good life. Communities, as I use them here, are groups of people who share something of … Continue reading Community, Part 2

Community For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.[1] In my mid-twenties, I became obsessed with trying to live a hermit-like lifestyle. I wanted to distance myself from others as much as possible because I felt their interests were too materialistic where mine were more spiritual in nature. … Continue reading Community

The Kingdom of God, Part 5 …strive first for the kingdom of God and (its) righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.[1] Over the past weeks I have reflected upon some of what is recorded of what Jesus said about the kingdom of God, which he also called the kingdom … Continue reading The Kingdom of God, Part 5

The Kingdom of God, Part 4 …strive first for the kingdom of God and (its) righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.[1] One of the better known references to the kingdom of God occurs in what we call the Lord’s Prayer: “…Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth … Continue reading The Kingdom of God, Part 4

The Kingdom of God, Part 3 …strive first for the kingdom of God and (its) righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.[1] The kingdom of heaven is a confusing concept because it sounds like a place a whole lot different than where we are now, yet Jesus says it is … Continue reading The Kingdom of God, Part 3

The Kingdom of God, Part 2 …strive first for the kingdom of God and (its) righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.[1] One of the foundational teachings of today’s Christianity that most needs crucifixion (in my opinion) is the notion of heaven as a place we might go when our … Continue reading The Kingdom of God, Part 2

The Kingdom of God …strive first for the kingdom of God and (its) righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.[1] The kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven are concepts Jesus spoke of frequently. It seems Jesus essentially used the terms God and heaven in this “kingdom” context synonymously, … Continue reading The Kingdom of God

A Divine Awakening, Part 3 Our awareness is everything; our waking up is everything. We need to move from the superficial or “outer self” to the true self or “inner self.”[1] An important aspect to waking up is distinguishing between a problem and a mystery, which is related to understanding what is inside or outside … Continue reading A Divine Awakening, Part 3