A Related Thought to the Last Series

1 John 4: 1-6

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world. 4 You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. 5 They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

Here is the conundrum of our day: How does one respond when people profess Jesus Christ and manifest behavior which appears in conflict with the spirit of the teachings of Christ?

Your thoughts?

The Spirit of the Code. Part Three.

In this post, the remaining excerpts from a church "Code" are examined. This is the church body that removed a special needs child who reacted with a loud but joyful noise following a praise song.

We Are All About the Numbers – Tracking metrics measures effectiveness. We unapologetically set goals and measure progress through all available quantitative means.

This author has to wonder if this code may help explain their behavior. Do they maintain their decorum as an honor to God or protect their attendance records? Also, does this attitude quietly suggest that something is wrong with "Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I (Jesus) am in the midst of them." The modern, American church experience is often justified inside more church buildings than simply the one in question on the basis of the number of people drawn into the sanctuary. Regardless of the number jumping in, seems like a more important measure is the spiritual maturity being gained by those who are participating in the spirit of the group. How many of these "unapologetically" gathered are faithfully finding the spiritual rest, which in turn manifests the fruits of the spirit?

We Need Your Seat – We will not cater to personal preference in our mission to reach this city. We are more concerned with the people we are trying to reach than the people we are trying to keep.

Clearly the scripture makes no direct statement on how to accept a person with cerebral palsy and its physical limitations into the group gathering. However, the spirit behind a policy of removal from the gathering of one so weak feels alien to the spirit of love, patience, and goodness which we Christians proclaim is the evidence, the fruit, of the Presence of the Spirit of Christ.

We Act in Audacious Faith -- In order to dominate a city with the gospel of Jesus, we can’t think small. We will set impossible goals, take bold steps of faith and watch God move.

Domination and manipulation are the signature characteristics of the spirit of the age, the spirit of the anti-Christ. Can a group set out to "dominate" in the spirit of Christ? Has any group been called to domination of a city? Two enter a home which greets them with peace or the two leave a city shaking the dust from their feet can be found as the direction of Jesus. Preaching to thousands can be found in the "Acts of the Apostles". Domination of a city is not found in the New Testament. Are the attitudes and decisions needed to fulfill this part of the code justifiable in view of "blessed are the meek," and "blessed are the poor in spirit." Sometimes as Christians we adopt the ways of the gentiles to achieve the ends we perceive give glory to God. However, I think God holds us accountable for the ways, means and ends. An appearance of godly outcomes may be just that.

I mentioned before, I do not intend to condemn, nonetheless I am convinced the Code of the church in question is very much an evidence of what weakens the message of the gospel being preached in this spirit.

Of What Spirit is the Church "Code"? Second in a three part series

So how do we qualify the spirit of a group?

Examining the Code statements of the group in the previous post, and consider each separately against the scriptures.

1. We Are Known for What We Are For – We will speak vision and life over our people. We will lift up the salvation of Jesus rather than using our platform to condemn.

Nothing to take issue with here. Most of us Christians would agree and say something similar. It also appears fully in line with the revelation of Jesus.

Luke 9:54-56A
When His disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?" But He turned and rebuked them, and said, "You do not know what kind of spirit you are of; for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them."

2. We Are Ruth's Chris, Not Golden Corral – Simplicity enables excellence. We place a disproportionate value on creating a worship experience that boldly celebrates Jesus and attracts people far from God.

Likewise, most Christians would agree with attracting others by lifting up Jesus.

John 12:28-32
"Father, glorify Your name." Then a voice came out of heaven : "I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again." So the crowd of people who stood by and heard it were saying that it had thundered ; others were saying, "An angel has spoken to Him." Jesus answered and said, "This voice has not come for My sake, but for your sakes. "Now judgment is upon this world ; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself."


3. We Are United Under the Visionary – "church name" is built on the vision God gave Pastor Steven. We will aggressively defend our unity and his vision.

Here, I would sound an alarm.

Ephesians 4:1-6

Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling ; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.

Oh, the dangers of lifting up the vision of one human as the vision of God for others! I am certain Pastor Steve is a fine guy, but he is just a man. The anointing is on Jesus--Christ means anointed--and as He dwells in the believer, so the anointing of God is on the believer. The anointing of God pours itself out on the righteousness of Jesus, and is therefore on each of us. To place maintaining unity on the "vision" of one man sounds good as long as it works--meaning the man is able to continue unify people around his continuing efforts. However, it begs the question of whether or not these people are unified in spirit, and in particular, are they unified in the Spirit of Christ? What unity do Christians find by declaring unity in spirit with a singular person?

Quite simply, the code as written is not in line with Ephesians 4 above. The revelation of the Word of God tells us to be unified in the Spirit of Christ not the leader's vision.

Most likely, the answer given by those who would recognize the above recorded code or something similar from their church is that the word choice is just semantics. Since Pastor Steve lifts up Jesus and is their leader, they are unified around Jesus.

I would contend there is a spiritual function associated with wording of the code that undercuts reliance on the Spirit of Christ. The power of group-think is hard to recognize inside of the group, but it is nonetheless real. Worded as is, what happens if one disagrees with anything Pastor Steve says? We are all subject to subjective emotional forces in the soul. We often adhere to a group's unwritten codes as a means of self-protection and self-justification. In a group that reinforces moral living, this force is not regarded as a bad influence. Yet, if Jesus is not the source of righteousness but merely one man's voice about Jesus, has something vitally important in the spirit of the group been sacrificed?

In part three, we will examine the remaining codes I highlighted in the original post.

She Taught My Class about Nietzsche and I Agreed.

The wisp of a young lady with mild voice to match was in odd juxtaposition to a quote from Friedrich Nietzsche on the screen behind her. Mild and tender she stood, representing democracy, affluence, and higher education while utilizing the voice of one whose philosophy and impact stood against all she represented. I doubt my eighth graders could even have adequately had explained to them the dark absurdity of the moment that I felt. From an educational standpoint, this moment was more important for the intern than my students. She was visiting from a local university and meeting the expectations of her curriculum by being a guest teacher in my class. My students would need a bit more education for the proper digesting of the many connections I was making in this moment.

As I read the quote on the screen with my students, (No I had not pre-screened what she would do with my class, but that is another story.) I immediately recognized the "truth" of his words. A "truth" through which the sin of man across time and with expanding consequence today I observe inflicts much, much pain upon humans.

From the Standford Encyclopedia of Philosophy,
"Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) was a German philosopher of the late 19th century who challenged the foundations of Christianity and traditional morality. He was interested in the enhancement of individual and cultural health, and believed in life, creativity, power, and the realities of the world we live in, rather than those situated in a world beyond. Central to his philosophy is the idea of “life-affirmation,” which involves an honest questioning of all doctrines that drain life's expansive energies, however socially prevalent those views might be. Often referred to as one of the first existentialist philosophers along with Søren Kierkegaard (1813–1855), Nietzsche's revitalizing philosophy has inspired leading figures in all walks of cultural life, including dancers, poets, novelists, painters, psychologists, philosophers, sociologists and social revolutionaries." http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/nietzsche/

However, the significant connection made does not lead to a rant against Nietzsche over his "immoral" view. I found myself understanding how he agrees with our Father! In the beginning, humanity was told not to eat from the Tree of Good and Evil. Nietzsche's existentialism is the seminal idea and function of the Great Lie of Satan, "you will be like God". This lie is the root of our Father's admonition to leave moralizing alone, don't eat that fruit! There can be no human way which is right--even those ways labeled "Christian," resulting in at least 30,000 denominations worldwide or Christianity, Burger King style, have it your way.

Of course, Nietzsche thinks and expounds from within his box of existentialism. His quote itself says it, "I have my way." He views the world and speaks of truth by defining from within his limits. Though he accurately defines, perhaps, a human position that explains "reality," it is simply as far as he can see--and he doesn't look far enough.

Mr. Nietzsche, you are correct, there is no "correct way" of anything. There is, however, a humanity that exists on a different plane. It is a plane determined by the Father, the Creator God, of what we see around us materially, but such plane as leveled within completely different parameters than the material world, for which our best word is spiritual. This spiritual plane is the absolute Truth about humanity...and more beyond. The cross from a limited view within the material plane to a timeless, spiritual plane is the Cross of Jesus. While we remain here in the material, any human has the opportunity to experience the reality of this spiritual plane, but it isn't done by acts for right or against wrong. Such is the fodder of the moralist to be sure and of the existentialist such as yourself, as well.

The attempt to make life right or wrong within a Christian viewpoint has resulted in a fragmented experience that seems to verify what you postulate, Mr. Nietzsche, but that simply underscores what is truly needed. I will allow you this, Sir, Christianity reduces itself to existentialism when it adopts a knowledge base formed from the need to define good and evil-- eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, eh?

The substance of Christianity isn't moral-ism, but to simply know Jesus is the way. This way of being is neither right nor wrong. It transcends such materialism and is the spiritual plane of holiness, the very Presence of God, Himself.

On Gaining Spiritual Sight

I have come to not only love God, but am developing a better understanding of what it means for me to have faith. At some level, it appears the Christian church has made its main issue whether or not you believe first that there even is a God; and second, that belief in the Crucifixion and Resurrection are the fullness of what we must hold by faith. As true as that last statement is, I find a deeper experience of faith in moving beyond that beginning point. I hope you are able to say the same. His Presence and His overt acts of support for me in my daily life are truly vital. I am daily amazed by His love and care.

In 2010, my wife and I heard of/observed two Christian marriages of 25+ years each disintegrate. It is sad for these people and sad for the message that God is love to a hurting world. The reality is that in each marriage something broke down involving faith.

The intent to walk with God is not enough. We each are broken individuals that find strength and wisdom from God to live apart from our brokenness, but we make a mistake to believe anything about ourselves other than of our human, broken state before Him. The intention to be a Christian is not where life is found. Living in Him is where true life is found.

I have thought a lot about the question of what is it we might do that would keep us each on a life-filled path--if He is for us, how can we fail? What is our responsibility in NOT making choices which in the moment do not appear to us damaging to ourselves or our loved ones in the long run? Is it just a statistics game like throwing dice, whether or not we really mess-up our life?

I bring no condemnation, just observation to either of the two marriages I mentioned earlier. What keeps us from outcomes such as this? And I mean more than just the pain of divorce. A lifetime is but a breath in terms of eternity; but nonetheless, hours into a day, weeks into a month, years into a decade is much time and many, many decisive moments with life-changing ramifications.

Here’s something that helps, I think:

Simply put, we are our own enemy. We will act selfishly, if we act naturally from within and for the goal of the ever-present sense of “I am…, I need…, I want.”

Antidote? Engage people in your daily life with the heart-set (not just a mind-set) of putting their needs above your own. This takes on different expression if the other person is your spouse, sibling, sibling in Christ, colleague or a sales clerk; yet it is in this attitude, that we learn what it means to rely on the Presence of God. He is opened to us in our thinking and our feeling by this level of reliance.

He desires to teach us deep meanings and provide us significant insights into spiritual truth, which is absolute truth. In actively dying to self is a constant recalibrating, if you will allow the term, of our perception of the world around us. In scripture we find the renewal of the mind of Romans, chapter 12. It is this renewal, we are constantly made aware of our need to function as something greater than our own brokenness.

It is in this God-ordained renewal, that we gain spiritual sight. It is in the spiritual sight, that we can see what needs to be done and avoided in our relationships. Life will not be reduced to a list of do-good choices that guarantee spiritual success. Spiritual success does not exist.

Spiritual life in Christ is lived or mimicked or abandoned by those who speak of it.

His Resource and Our Responsibility: reflection on a work out in the Father.

Paul exhorts in Philippians to "work out your salvation with fear and trembling."

We are not saved by works. However, walking in salvation provided by God is a pathway, the pathway of Jesus.

We walk the path by learning to walk in the Spirit of God. This is knowing Jesus as the way. We pass through this life in the way of Jesus and it is a work in progress. We "work" to sort our selfish desires of the natural man from the pure and righteous desires of the Spirit of God living within.

It's a work because of learning the depth of self-denial even unto the death of the natural man, which we find emotionally painful.

It is work because it is a daily-- no a moment to moment --discipline.

Think of it this way: Our Father is full of resource available in the Spirit for us, and He calls us to a sobering responsibility here in this life. (Seven of eight NT references using the word sober are exhortations to the believer to be sober in spirit.) The work is in learning what His level of available resource is for us (unlimited in all things He desires for us) balanced against what our level of responsibility is in appropriating His resources. This work is not done to gain salvation, but follows for all of the rest of life from salvation or the moment of understanding and receiving His atonement.

Work out...something we do in the gym or on the field or in the basement to build strength.

Placing yourself in the rest of Jesus within, through faith in His work on the Cross is a deep work.

The working out of our salvation builds our strength in the spirit.

Faith

Overcoming sin, simply means developing faith.

Faith is a substantive intellectual and emotional state, in which a person deeply believes in communion with the unseen Creator of the universe. There is no mystery here. His name as a human being is Jesus Christ.

Faith is an act of willingly, willfully receiving all God gives.

Faith is the response of a human which brings the supernatural reality of the Kingdom of God to the Earth, one little human at a time.

I believe healthy believer groups assist individuals in two ways to develop faith:

• uphold an ever sharpened view and sense of the holiness of God
• uphold the believer with huge depths of compassion and patience.

Overcoming Sin, Part 5

Overcoming sin has a practical side. Filling time with fellow believers, especially in acts of service toward others, is key. The old adage, "an idle mind is the devil's workshop," is an adage for a logical reason. Memorizing pertinent scriptures and exercising the discipline to recite them when being tempted to revisit the old pattern helped me. 1 Corinthians 10:13 and 2 Corinthians 5:17 were especially powerful in my circumstance.

However, none of the practical will be effective over the long term, if the biblical revelation of God being a holy God is not accepted as the core reason for seeking to overcome sin--especially sexual sins. There can be no overcoming of sin, if the spiritual truths associated with sin are not embraced.

We do not reject the need for sleep, food, water or excretory function for any reason. We simply accept these drives as necessary for biological life. The sexual drive is a bit more complex since it is a physiological need deeply rooted in our emotional need. Unlike any of the aforementioned biology, the sexual drive may be denied without death occurring as a consequence. So why deny it?

There is no reason for anyone to deny the sexual drive of the human body is the view of most people. After all, it is a biological drive just like eating ... until one considers the words found in the Bible in multiple places regarding sexuality. One interpretation of these references (from my viewpoint the most logical and accurate interpretation) is that the sexual union between man and woman is only authorized by God as occurring within marriage. All other sexual activity is considered sin. Homosexuality is forbidden specifically with no references being found that a committed union may be included in the blessed state of marriage. (That is the subject of the next post.)

Which leads inexorably to denial of all thoughts, desires and decisions around sexual activity outside of marriage. Folks claiming Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior either accept this or rationalize it away.

How is denial of the sexual drive to be accomplished?

Loving God for Who He is, is the motivational spark which lights the will to self-denial. At the beginning of each day if I am not centering my thinking, my emotions and my will on the whole concept of love for God, I have no hope of maintaining any faithfulness to the commands and principles found in the Bible. To love anyone means knowing that person's characteristics and loving the person fully for the whole--sometimes in spite of--these characteristics. Unconditional love.

Not so with God. There is no "in spite of this characteristic" in loving Him. All God's characteristics, which include both His beautiful grace and His perfect judgment may be easily loved. Of all His characteristics, His holiness is the most compelling and inscrutable attribute. It is because of His holiness that His grace and judgment exist. In His holiness is the source both of the blessings' flow and all His commands against some actions labeled sin, which thus carry negative consequences.

I have learned I cannot overcome sin--any kind of sin-- without the loving of God as my motivation. I cannot truly love God for Who He is, if I deny His holiness. I think this is true for all of us.

Overcoming Sin, Part 4 (correctly counted this time!)

I have had some difficulty knowing where to take this series of posts next. I write and delete; I start and save the paragraph only to return and realize this is not what needs to be said at the moment. My trouble is I cannot always sort out the words which are bringing illumination to spiritual truth separated from an inclination to preach my opinions. For those who have been checking for the next installment, I appreciate your patience with me.

Homosexuality is just one of many, many ways humans seek fulfillment in sin. Our fallen nature is completely blinded to the Truth, Beauty and Holiness of God. We humans are totally committed to rebellion against Him. Even the person who has intellectually accepted the Cross, emotionally committed to God and experienced the born-again paradigm, there still remains the process of walking out salvation with fear and trembling, which implies the struggle with the fallen nature is part of walking in the Truth of Jesus.

In this culture, the concept of sin as something which must be addressed and corrected is lost. Folks enter therapy to overcome psychological neurosis or visit the gym while on a regimen of supplements and whole foods with parallel ambition—improve the quality of the life "I" am living. Among those who reject the Cross of Christ, a myriad of counterfeits exist to enable the rationalization that each human is destined to become the master of his or her fate. None of these will admit the effects of the Fall written on the soul.

I suspect, many Christians believe the overcoming of sin is a key component of becoming a fulfilled and content human being, yet they flounder in submission to hidden sins, or worse, walk in a blinding self-righteousness of empty works.

Humans develop spirituality as a practice seeking a reordered outlook, and the term spirituality has come to include a great buffet of spiritisms including salvation by extra-terrestrials. From yoga to Yeti, we stretch our physical experiences and our imaginations in constant seeking of the undoing of our status-quo lives. Most telling of our lack of understanding is how glibly many human pursuits are labeled a “spiritual” experience. I have found that most use of the term spirit is really a reference to something known in the soul which has proved profoundly moving to the one speaking in an aesthetic sense (in philosophy that pertaining to, involving, or concerned with pure emotion and sensation as opposed to pure intellectuality).

In search of this profound emotional occurrence, many live life pushing the parameters of the extreme: extreme sports that defy death, cruises on billion dollar ships or playing million dollar poker games, the "perfect" sexual satisfaction, the singular moment of being declared the best in show... the list goes on and on. All to lift the soul into the face of the sudden rush, that overwhelming moment which can define one's life as unique--and which happens to bring the attached outcomes of wealth, notoriety, or just an ability to say at the water cooler, “Yeah, I’ve done that, too.”

I entered a completely different sexuality, at the time a wholly forbidden state. I did so, recognizing the extreme nature of my decision. I faced the obstacles of violating the precepts of God, incurring much social rejection and family angst, even risking physical attack by the aggressively violent homophobe in a pursuit I determined I could not deny (over the course of my years in the homosexual community, one friend was severely beaten and two were murdered because of being homosexual).

The reason I would take such risk? It was “me.”

Overcoming sin is not simply deciding, "I want to stop behaving in a sinful manner." Though certainly, that is going to be a mental conclusion we adopt in our search for God. Overcoming sin is a renewal of the heart and mind away from alignment with all human identity mechanisms of this earthly life and into an identity which literally flows from His being. To ascribe belief in Him without finding the flow of spirit-life is not enough to keep any of us from seeking life in the things of this world.

This path in the Wild Wood is the one marked by Him and leads into His light. It is a spiritual plane for our soul to embrace which lifts the whole of our being into a holy state of union with Him, even as our bodies continue on in the Wood.

Final Thoughts on Fear, Part 5

"Fire and brimstone" preaching brings mixed reactions from Christians and is the butt of jokes, derision, even animosity among those who are outside the light of Christ. Thanks, Postmodern Redneck, for bringing the information that Edward's demeanor in delivery was not fire and brimstone style. That effectively raises the question of, on what level was this pivotal historical moment in the history of American Christianity the work of the Holy Spirit. A rich moment of human and Holy Spirit interaction that calls for some reflection, perhaps, but not a moment on my mind this morning.

Putting the last four posts together today I examine "fear" as a composite topic:
--deep fears within me out of the reach of my conscious mind
--fear as evidence against the fruit of the spirit, which I face consciously
--fear as the root of holy living, as in the fear of the Lord described in Proverbs

Reverse the order of the list, and therein lies a sound way to overcome fears that are against the will of Lord and outside the truth of the Kingdom of God.

Commenter Craig V. is spiritually insightful to raise the issue of encountering the "perfect love which casts out fear" for consideration. 1 John 4:18 reads, "There is no fear in love ; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love."

1. The only conclusion I can draw is that to be moved, even by fear, into submission to God answers all other fears. "Fear" of God, total reverence and respect for Him calling one to do whatever in obedience to Him equates in New Covenant theology, which we all understand at least intellectually, with submission to the Grace of God and thus NOT be in fear of His judgment. His plan of grace replaces all my wrong-doing under the covering of Christ's atonement. My every failing...absolutely...is erased. If that is true-- It absolutely is! --then all reasoning and emotional feelings need to embrace the truth that my conscience is freed from fear of punishment by the Ultimate Judge. With a freed conscience, I am equipped to move into one being perfected in love.

2. Seeking the pure love of God experience in my life, I need not spend much time groveling before any conscious fear that tempts me. Fears of which I am conscious are precise evidence I am not experiencing the Presence of the Holy Spirit, and therefore, evidence I am not trusting the Lord. Submission to the Spirit of Christ which is always as close as my own heart within me, means the fear must flee. If it does not, then I am trusting something other than Christ. That is good information. It tells me the exact spiritual construct with which I contend. So, I consciously bring to light my fears and confront them through confession to others while trusting that the way of Christ is both freedom and the path Christ described as, "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Isn't it interesting that within the Body of Christ, intended by God to be a place of spiritual sustenance and building up for the believer, is often the place where we hide our strongest conscious fears.

Why?
Fear of judgment by others.

Why?
Christians are so prone to judge one another unrighteously.

3. The deep fears, which may occur in the subconscious will be effectively dealt with across the span of our lives as we consciously do what God has faithfully provided as both instruction and substantive equipping. That is, we simply trust God will finish the work He has begun unto the utter reaches of ourselves, the places we cannot touch. If we effectively rest in the Presence of Jesus within the heart, find the path of trust which is the fulfilling place of perfect love and respond by a walk in obedience to resist the temptations of fear; then we are in faith standing on the Solid Rock, and we are pleasing to God.

Rejoice, my fellow citizens of Heaven! Nothing, absolutely nothing, in the Wild Wood is greater than the One who reigns over the Kingdom in which we now have our citizenship!

Christian Groups: Human and Supernatural

Is God's intent to foster a group of people prepared to enter into His intimacy for eternity or is it to establish a personal relationship with individuals?

Though you will hear both ideas in most groups, around here below the Mason-Dixon line there is a definite framework in which the words "Gospel of Jesus Christ" will be heard. That framework is that God's intent is salvation of the individual and intimacy with God for eternity is the reward for those who are so saved.

This theological framework is marketed (unfortunately not used metaphorically) by the tag line, "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life." So begins the gospel pitch to a me-oriented population. The gospel of Jesus Christ has become a passionate, evangelical hawking of salvation which warps the perspective by which God is known and the manner in which He is sought.

The irony is that all the words used are literally true and therefore continually draw new converts into the status-quo matrix of large organizations collecting vast sums of money, dollars often used for very real good works in addition to uses less noble. So why am I against this? Well, I'm not, if I can be allowed to split a hair or two.

Being against something and examining the same object under a critical-thinking lens are not necessarily the same thing. Nothing in my heart desires to see denominations deconstructed or ecumenically fused. The status-quo is there for a reason and supports many good people and good initiatives.

Yet, neither can I remain silent as I think I see something through which Christians might find themselves more deeply satisfied individually and, therefore, equipped more fully to seek the superlative spiritual life described in the Bible.

The solution to unfulfilling group-think, a condition which has the potential to become cumbersome and even rob adherents of spiritual life, is to seek a simple existence together as family in God and before Him.

Ephesians 4:14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming ; 15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together *by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

I contend that systematic theologies, named theologies, regional theologies, et cetera and et al, fail the simple truths in the Bible by masking them and reducing the clarity with which the Bible speaks. A group of believers who will purpose to build itself in love through submission to the spiritual headship of Jesus will learn to please God together. Individual needs will be met as the whole is prepared to spend eternity with God. It is more complicated than rocket science, perhaps, as it involves humans and not mathematical formulas; nonetheless, the Christian walk together in a group is uniquely sublime in its simplicity and profundity. Why do we bother over making it unnecessarily comlex?

Front Page Comments Post Part II...a bit long but what is on my mind.

Twenty odd years ago, a friend of mine would joke he spent 8 hours a day in the Word. When the statement drew response or perhaps someone was suckered-in to momentary belief, Tim would answer with a gleeful grin that he named his bed, "The Word." The sign hung over his bed, if we wanted to come see.

craig v. said...
"I believe I would give more legitimacy to regular (daily) Bible reading. I agree that there are abuses and misunderstandings. Perhaps an analogy would help clarify my view. I'm married and have a relationship with my wife. We are together much of the day, but that doesn't mean I'm really listening to her. I suffer from the male ability to look and sound like I'm with her even when I'm not. If our communication begins to decay, it would make sense for us to agree to a regular time together where we focus on one another. Sadly, I might still hear her words and not really listen, but that doesn't mean the discipline of a regular meeting is a bad idea. It only means I can use it poorly. Given how easily distracted we are, it's not a huge stretch for me to see (at least of myself) that even though God is in me through Christ in the presence of the Holy Spirit, I'm still quite capable of not listening. A daily time in His Word, where He speaks and I focus on listening, makes sense to me."

craig v., (conversing not challenging) I certainly understand both your discipline and the rationale for it. By "legitimacy" I wonder if you are making a personal statement or if you intend an application across the board for believers. Could I not make a similar statement to support what I have described for myself? I would need to state as you do, "I agree that there are abuses and misunderstandings." But with that qualifier, I uphold a traditional view that I have adopted as my own.

Of course, in my case I am actually upholding a variant view from the traditional. Or am I? Consider the early Christians largely did not read and the letters, which would later be canonized, were circulated by slow travel overland and often not in the hands of the ones who could read. (At least early on and the Torah excepted.) As a result, a majority of believers would describe a daily guiding from the Holy Spirit as their spiritual sustenance and account hearing the written Word as a secondary experience. In this situation the tables would be reversed, and I would hold the "traditional' or common view and you would be seeking to establish the legitimacy of the variant view. Despite their lack of daily reading, their faith stunned the population around them, extant writings from non-believers of the day giving such testimony.

I recognize the counter-point is I have the Bible and do read, so I have a responsibility to utilize both. Let's mush through this a bit. I have three thoughts. First, I have been very careful to NOT suggest someone would waste their efforts in daily Bible reading. It is a very valuable practice, clearly and certainly. Especially when, as you describe in the analogy, someone is in the active maintenance of the most valuable relationship and practicing daily reading to listen attentively to the One speaking through the Word.

My second thought--thinking about responsibility in maintenance of our relationship with God. Consider in comparison the following two experiences:

A. A modern American Christian (Mac for short) with a blue or white collar job rises with enough time carved out each morning to spend twenty minutes in a quiet time: reading the Bible for ten and praying for ten. Within the fellowship in which Mac participates, this has been presented as the needed minimum for daily devotionals regardless of the time of day it is practiced. The stated goal from his pastor's point of view is thirty minutes or more. Mac being a relatively young but devoted believer is seeking to establish the minimum in his life. He has determined it must be a morning routine to ensure it occurs, as having skipped a time or two, his busy days made later times impossible; and at the end of the day, he was frustrated with himself for failing to meet with God that day. So! Mornings are a must.

MAC is growing in his excitement for God. He is involved in a weekly meeting with three accountability partners, signed up for a men's retreat next month and currently studying much of the Bible through the workbook of Experiencing God by Blackaby. Some mornings he actually spends thirty minutes in his study and follows with prayer while commuting. He feels his relationship with his wife is improving, and he is growing spiritually. Through the workday God comes to mind occasionally, but Mac experiences blocks in the day, hours even, where his focus and thoughts are on the job before him. Mac wants to think about God more often, even pray throughout the day. His experience to this point in his walk is that work grabs his thinking and doesn't let go. He wonders if praying without ceasing is possible in the modern world, knowing he fails that maxim miserably. Mac will end his day reading a scripture with his wife, then they have a prayer together and a bit of reflection shared about God. Mac on his pillow now, quietly speaks to God about his day before sleep comes. Does this man "walk" with God? Who could tell him he does not or that his daily Bible reading is not legitimate?

Total time in a day when Mac "listens" (assuming Mac is not playing the male game of pretending to listen) to God, as you set up in the analogy of dedicated time with the wife? Counting his study, prayer while commuting, sporadic times of acknowledging God through the hours of work and his ending exchanges with his wife and with God in the solace before sleep equals... does it matter? Rather, is he at peace in his knowing God and satisfied he has fulfilled his responsibility before God?

B. Mac's brother, rises daily and spends an unmeasured amount of time meditating on God, usually 15 minutes. Some mornings, the meditation leads to a Bible inquiry or the readings from Christian authors who are reflecting over the scriptures and represent the Christian walk across centuries. The reading of the Bible (or in the context of a Christian author) is just a verse, but it turns into a check on the Greek meaning of a word. Throughout the day, Mac's brother considers the Greek usage and analyzes the meaning in the context of several different circumstances in his life. While commuting or walking to the water cooler at the office but in all time not devoted to focused work, this man continues his reflection on the meaning and is waiting on God for illumination or inspiration over the word/verse in question. Throughout the day, as well, in almost every exchange with a co-worker, this man is in quiet prayer over the conversation, over the question/ professional problem involved, or the spiritual state of the other human. After he's home and the day's duties ebb such that he feels his time is his own, the man's interest is stirred and he spends thirty minutes more with a lexicon and Bible comparing with other verses where the same word is used and records notes.

Or more often during the morning meditation a memorized scripture comes to mind. Mac's brother reflects on the scripture several minutes without needing to open the Bible, the Bible is open in his heart, and he feels no complusion to open the material Bible. His day, however follows a pattern similar to that described above of waiting on God for illumination/inspiration and holding many moments spent with others before the Presence of God in his heart, a talk/prayer. Regardless of whether or not the literal earthly Bible is opened for reading in the morning, Mac's brother devotes an almost continuing exchange with God on a daily basis, sometimes listening, sometimes talking, sometimes worshiping with singing running through his head or joyfully out loud in the privacy of the car, but always, always in awareness and dependence on God's Presence. A week may go by before the literal Bible is opened once again, however, the fellowship with God is daily and nearly unending.

I know the comparison is artificial. However, within the confines of the stated construct, is Mac or his brother in need of correction in his approach to walking with God? I think it must be left to an individual how the responsibility acknowledged as his or hers before God is lived out in seeking Him. Is time spent in daily reading really the issue? Does remembering a scripture inspired by the Holy Spirit and being stimulated by it less legitimate than opening and viewing the printed word? I think most would agree it is not.

It seems to me your concern, and that of most others, is the issue of maintenance of the relationship.

With that in mind, my final thought: Turn the spending time with the wife analogy around just a bit. The husband decides that his wife needs to know where he stands without doubt on a few things. The primary understanding he desires his wife always remember is he loves her unconditionally, that she might be confident in returning love to him and have that love bring order to her feelings toward others. These thoughts he writes to her that she may always know and return to the letters whenever she may choose for assurance or clarity. He writes repeatedly until he has a collection of letters, which he one day gives her as a gift. She is thrilled. Only now, every day when they join for dinner and he expects to talk, she instead pulls out the letters. She is concerned that she dutifully maintain her commitment to his stated love and constantly rereads the letters before him and makes comments to him about the contents. She is consumed with maintenance of the relationship in this manner but never ever again searches him out with real time conversation or even her eyes to connect with him as a person. For her, reading the letters in front of him is the source and practice of all communication with him.

Comments Moved to a Front Page Post

Sometimes the blog feels a little like me dominating a discussion in the living room, while the real discussions takes place in a back bed room. The following is a comment response to a reader.

Josiah said, "I hear you saying the Bible is certainly a kind of Spiritual Encyclopdia to help us define, articulate, and check our spiritual walk and knowledge. I think I do take it is a kind of duty to understand the Bible. If I were not a inclined toward my intellect or were not a good reader I think I would not feel the duty as strongly. However, as a christian (who reads alot); I feel subject first to God and secondly to the Bible. If it is in the Bible and I can understand it, I feel a duy to obey even if I have not got a specific leading in my spirit. Are you warning aginst this? or is there a particular bondage of duty against which you are warning likened to differences in Law described inthe Bible. Law bringing death -- law bringing Life."

The questions you raise are insightful and needed to help me articulate something beautiful but hard to reduce to mere words. I am warning only against a self delusion I experienced once upon a time. That is that I perceived my daily discipline of Bible reading as a measure of my spiritual maturity and the basis for my spiritual insights. Of course, what insights I had spiritually were from understanding the Bible, however now I view those insights as intellectual at the time and weak for their lack of connectedness to my heart. I do not think that I view the Bible as a Spiritual Encyclopedia, but I think it is that at least and I like the analogy. I completely agree that in lacking a clear spiritual nudge from the Holy Spirit one turns to and obeys the Bible to the fullest of one's understanding. I think sometimes the Lord is silent in spirit often because He has clearly addressed the issue in scripture.

I understand your feeling of duty to develop your intellectual understanding of the Bible. I have felt the same. Duty is an interesting word and here is a hinge in the discussion. Following duty is a good thing, unless one trusts that one's duty is the measure of spiritual reality. We feel duties differently, in varying degrees when applied to varied topics. I followed duty not love in inviting my mother to live in our home as she neared the end of her life and needed to live with others instead of alone. In following that duty I learned much about love, though I must be honest that my love for my mother did not increase. However, I feel the experience helped me separate from my love of her many anxieties and resentments that had built up toward her. Duty is like that sometimes. We follow it not realizing it will bring us to a place of deeper spiritual understanding. Yet, there is no guarantee it will. We can dutifully do something for years without any change in our spiritual awareness. This is the kind of conundrum that piques my curiosity. What is the difference, and why is it there? I postulate but do not assert, the difference is that in the one our heart is open to hear God beyond the duty even as the duty positions us to hear. When duty fails to spiritually enlighten us, we have approached the duty with the hidden agenda of establishing our own righteousness.

I must be off to work. craig v., I will post my response to you later today, perhaps early enough for you to read before you get into the weekend this Friday evening. Thanks for being patient with me.

If the Bible be Holy Spirit Inspired

Reaching back two posts, I listed three bulleted interactions between a person and the Bible. In a simplistic way, I intended to illustrate a common perspective on the Word. That is, people often don't know exactly what to do with the Bible on a personal level other than to read and attempt application. In that reading, they will be stirred emotionally, even if that is described by the reader as, "I'm not getting anything out of this." Dulled, disconnected emotional reactions are still emotional reactions. Most often, individuals will seek out others regarded as more knowledgeable in understanding scriptures for aid in the quest. This may or may not include a trained member of the clergy. Sitting under the instruction of designated teachers or seeking out a friend who is trusted as more mature in the faith is a basic way of gaining a handle over the meaning of those glorious words. Attending a Bible study is a different formula toward the same end of wanting to hear what others think.

Christian tradition focuses on the study of the Bible to divine its Truth. Therein has developed a constant focus on scripture reading in both formal and informal gatherings of believers and the fairly common practice--expectation?--of the discipline of a daily quiet time to include scripture reading pervasive among (as far as I know) most modern Christian circles. Nothing in the assertion I made in the previous post negates the validity of the Word in those practices. I fully receive the Word of God as the word of our living God and consider it a miracle living in and of itself.

Consider the statement made in the previous post, The mind and heart of Christ known through the in-dwelling Christ, the Holy Spirit, is the only source of truth and wisdom available to us within the current paradigm of the natural existence. Does this line suggest we live without the Bible? Only if someone reads that into it. If the Bible is to be revered as the Holy writ, infallible and trustworthy, is this perspective itself not based on a belief, no...more the faith, that the Holy Spirit inspired its writing? To call God the Author when we know men penned the words is a full acceptance of the Holy Spirit's Presence and actions. Coming to an understanding of the Word in line with God's intent and heart is recognized as a function of the Holy Spirit. We consider it revelation. Something active in the Holy Spirit of God must be received by the reader for the Bible text to become "spiritual knowledge," for the life in the words to spawn life in the heart of the reader.

My assertion is not an attempt to encourage spiritual life without the Bible. Rather it is an appeal to receive the words in the fullness of their meaning. The life of God has become available to sinful man. This is the wonder of both the grace in the Father's heart and the spiritual work of Jesus in the atonement at the Crucifixion. The life of the written Word, by faith, then becomes a real and continuing exchange of the dynamics of the emotions and dialogue of the intellects between the believer and the resident Holy Spirit. This Holy Spirit is the living Spirit of the Living Word who became flesh, held in the Holy of Holies, the Ark of the Covenant within one's heart. This joining of the Holy Spirit to our spirit birthed by God removes the reading of the Word from the confines of our self-absorbed souls and the constructs of the traditional teachings of men and brings to fruition the maturing of our spirit, the new creature.

Life in the spirit then is beyond the written Word but a result of the same. Further use of the written Word is not stopped because this relationship is the core of faith but becomes more purposeful from this vantage point. I no longer use the Word to seek out my relationship with God. That treasure is fully mine. The written Word is part but not the center of my communion with the Living Word. Jesus living within me as the Holy Spirit is the center, the object, the sustainer of my spiritual life.

An Assertion on the Christian Life

The point of all the posts on Knowledge is the basis for a simple assertion. If we desire as the body of Christ to effect the most growth in spiritual maturity of the most believers; then reduce Christianity to its simple core, the gospel message of redemption from sin through the cross and living in the fullness of the in-dwelling Christ made possible through the resurrection. All other discussions, though interesting perhaps, quickly erode into winds of doctrine and a fractured family of God. Christ in us is the hope of glory, but our understanding of glory should not be a compartmentalized belief that makes the glory of God a platitude existing in the next life. Christ living in us and our recognizance of plus obedience to that reality is the glorious answer of God to the mayhem around us.

Intellectual knowledge of the natural world, though useful for participating in the culture through gainful employment or otherwise, is not the end of human experience. In the eternal perspective of things, the brain is but a tool to be developed and utilized, nothing more. We Christians run a muck as a consequence of equating an intellectual understanding of the Word with spiritual knowledge; or worse, equating subjective, personal understanding of the Word with all its inherent problems of a wavy lens--individual perspective--as spiritual knowledge. While intelligent exegesis is rightly accepted as superior to common conclusion in understanding the meanings of texts, spiritual knowledge is not an automatic result of intelligent thinking over subjective personal perspective for the simple reason that none of us escapes our own subjectivity. Human knowledge and wisdom, even that which builds its rationalizations on the Bible is of no value in the larger framework of eternity. The mind and heart of Christ known through the in-dwelling Christ, the Holy Spirit, is the only source of truth and wisdom available to us within the paradigm of the current natural existence.

It probably goes without saying but as a balanced writer I cannot shirk the responsibility of stating that no carnal knowledge, that which is known through muscle and bone or the related drives of hunger, thirst and libido, is the source of spiritual knowledge. It's a given these are all part of the natural life, but you will hear no call to asceticism nor epicureanism from me. Living to please the body or subdue it reduces the quality of life rapidly in the best case scenario and is a path to madness in the worst. We were never intended to live as animals do through competitive instinct fulfilling a need to survive. When the source of our soul's satisfaction is based on our carnal natures, the reason why we live results in philosophies which rationalize barbarism and/or paganism as logical and fulfilling.

Spiritual knowledge isn't learned by listening to sermons, though certainly teaching has its place and I do not suggest discarding any gift God intended for us. Spiritual knowledge is that which we learn through Christ as our active teacher, a function of us walking in the faith that the Holy Spirit is within us as He said He would be. (You gotta love the way the three persons of God wreak havoc on personal pronoun usage.)

Spirit Knowledge

Now I add a third category of knowing. It is neither intellectual nor carnal, though it is related to both. It is the knowledge fully resident in the new creature being. A knowledge in God, which He shares with us and is about all of life. It wells within the heart and springs from there--under the right conditions--like a river flowing from us to others.

Spiritual knowledge isn't the practice of disciplines which inhibit carnal knowledge expression. Spiritual knowledge is a heart reality become understanding which brings the will into submissive loving of God and the mastery of the body's appetites to rest fully quieted underneath the foot of the believer. These appetites are to be regarded as dead, though a shift in love from God and toward self will cause the animal to rise.

Spiritual knowledge isn't simply the ability to offer a sharp apologetic from the scriptures about life in God. Such is an intellectual exercise which may or may not be a function of one's spirit.

Spiritual knowledge begins with God, develops with God, and results in the glory God deserves as it is the mark of the sons of God for which revelation the earth groans . That mark is the fruit of the spirit which so naturally emanates from individuals who walk in it.

An interesting characteristic of spiritual knowledge is that it is so dependent on God, the possessor is so aware of that connection, that spiritual knowledge never declares itself as the property of the human in which it is found. Spirit knowledge only acknowledges the One who is the source of the knowing.

Hallelujah!! A Resurrection Reflection

The supernatural occurs. Daily. Eternally.

If the eternal God is accepted as having entered the limits of our timed earth; if His resurrection is seen as the basis from which life in the believer springs; if we are truly hidden with Jesus in the heavenly realms as a result of His supernatural life, then our earthly existence in a natural state hardly exists in comparison to our eternal state.

The butterfly must pass through the caterpillar state, but does it bother over being just a caterpillar?

Thinking About Encouragement

Encouragement in the faith and encouragement generally cannot be built on statements we doubt. Differences of practice need not be reason for doubt between believers. We are as a universal Body of Christ aware of the great diversity of belief and practice among Christians. However, I am convinced there is only one faith in Jesus. There are, in contrast, various levels of maturity. The encouragement we might rightly offer others of different practice is to seek the Father. I do not expect anyone’s walk to look like mine in practice, yet I believe there is mutual understanding of what faith is and how it is lived, if we would humbly accept it lives beyond our man-made boundaries of religious practice.

Believers need to feel free to question anything in their own tradition when that is their need. Questioning practice of the group is not questioning the existence or authenticity of the Lord. Open discussion and mutual reflection is a benefit to us all.

We must trust in the mercy of our Father, and such trust is the basis of an authentic encouragement. I think there is no such thing as human objectivity, not in a pure sense anyway. Each of us is primarily subjective in all things. In my view, it is only as one opens to the in-dwelling Spirit of Christ that we partake of the Mind of Christ and touch truth. It is from a clear view of truth that we become strong in the ability to encourage others.

Encouragement is a key factor in one’s development as a Christian. We must beware, however, the voice calling to self-help for development as a better person. Becoming a better person is a siren’s call crashing one’s hope on rocks of discouragement. The old nature cannot be fixed. (And we all have the old nature.) For all us Christians, we must learn how to exist as our new creature through the depths of faith. It doesn’t happen by flipping switches. Rather, when people who share a significant past encourage one another, the established trust together on Christ opens individuals to the growth our heavenly Father guides.

This begs the question of whether or not Christians of varied backgrounds may develop a significant past. I say, love has no boundaries. Therein lies the true nature of encouragement. It meets its intended use from God when we are encouraging one another from a position of trusted love toward a deepening of the love which is from God. In contrast, encouraging one another to a better, more sophisticated humanity is nothing but empty humanism, the great lie of Lucifer to lift himself to be God’s equal.

Do you practice your faith in a different manner than I? No matter, love between us and for God together will flourish if we but seek to lift each other up into the light of Jesus.

How's the Journey?

Carey said in his comment to the last post, "I think we are all still egocentric adolescents."

I agree. We remain such until we gain maturity in Jesus, which occurs when we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God.

We often hear folks refer to the Christian walk as a journey; I have and do. Yet this morning it occurs to me there is a subtle problem with the metaphor.

Functionally, it allows one to acknowledge he or she does not understand everything but has faith to believe the right path has been found. Within the paradigm of a journey it becomes acceptable to veer at times as an unavoidable circumstance. This I describe may be a moment or days of being confused, rattled, distracted, or feeling somehow separated from God. Some water-cooler discussion at work brings us to a statement of Christian platitude, perhaps, which on reflection in a quiet time we feel failed to answer the other person's question or challenge. We realize the platitude itself doesn't satisfy us.

I once stumbled upon a blog post that was three years old. All I remember of it is that the author was a British Christian and this post was reported by him to be his last. The three or so lengthy paragraphs were everything he needed to say on the topic; and in his estimation, all that needed to be said on the topic which I cannot remember. It was a Christian topic I do recall. Anyway, he determined to leave the blog open for others to read, yet he had finished this blog for all time as the contents were that important for Christians to understand. I guess I should have bookmarked his blog or worked harder at remembering his position.

Was his journey with God finished? Did he understand something we all needed to know, but which I failed to understand since I wasn't moved to remember his point? Was he a bit ego-centric? I wonder how he thinks today about that summative and "final" position he took. Is the journey no journey at all, if we have figured it all out? How do we interpret Ecclessiastes' lament that there is nothing new under the sun, if we assume that our life journey into God allows that we discover something we have not known?

I think I raise two questions at once as the double tines of a large and piercing fork. A fork I often feel impaled upon!

1. Is walking with God not a journey but a destination? It is full and finished as is, though I have yet to fill up the number of days allotted to me.

2. Is question number one an ego-centric position that I, as a mere human, actually understand all of my life?

Back to the journey metaphor: I think we feel safe living within the metaphor. It gives us a mental and emotional space to contain our failures before God and our aspirations toward His holiness within the same container of the self. We wrestle our selfishness with some measure of self awareness that to be selfish is a characteristic of being incomplete, and that is accurate. We then in contrast know, piecemeal perhaps, God. From this level of awareness, we see spiritually and recognize much that the one who is truly lost will not see. Thus caught between two opposed realities of our existence, we have to explain why we are not fully in God all the time. Hence we adopt the metaphor of the journey. Being held a moment or two in the briar patch because we took a misstep off the path in the Wild Wood is to be expected, eh?

Or is it?

It is finished--at least His side of it. There is no journey, if we mean by journey to find more of God. Yet it is also true that something remains to be "discovered" by us. It is not anything new. But if we do not have it, then it remains to be found. Many of us (perhaps not all) are stuck in the briar patch until we do something together: it is written above as copied from Ephesians.

From Whence Comes His Voice?

In the comments of the last post, Greg names perhaps the largest concern people have on the topic of the "inner" leading of the spirit: Scripture must trump inner voices, otherwise we'll end up with more Jim Joneses and David Koreshes.

This is a fair and needed guideline to be sure, but it begs the question of how does one know the inner voice is the voice of God?

One of the exciting things that initially drew me into my charismatic experience was all these people telling stories where God said this or that, and it had dramatic consequences for good in their lives. This witness of God actively speaking direction to others appealed to me. I wanted that experience, as well.

I clearly remember the Jonestown Massacre being reported by Walter Cronkite. This event pre-dated my Christian conversion by only one year. I had no concern the group I was in was cultic, nor did I make any connection that a perspective of being able to actively hear the leading of a living God might be construed with following a false teacher.

However, I understand those concerns now. I came to realize I had adopted the use of the term "God said to me..." in recounting how I made decisions. Likewise did many people in our group. I also began to know within my heart, that sometimes I used those words too loosely. I determined that I and probably many of those in our group used the terminology because it was accepted, even expected, but the usage was not necessarily reality. Sometimes it was, I guess. God knows for sure. The "voice of God" I heard was usually nothing more than my own inclinations, desires, or needs; and I had learned hearing some of my own thoughts with a deep resonance and power. Imagine hearing some of your particular thoughts with a ring akin to the voice of James Earl Jones.

The marker verifying such was truly the Father usually included an elevated pulse rate or just a compelling sense of I must obey this. Think about how you physically relate to some act of worship that is particularly moving for you. Communion maybe, when you find yourself physically feeling a deep peace or deep regrets for sin as you seek forgiveness. Think of anytime an intellectual understanding of anything from the Bible's witness results in you being emotionally moved. This is so powerful your physical body reacts some way. That marked for me at the time that I was "in the spirit" and "hearing God."

Now, I rarely feel such things and I only hear James Earl Jones if I am watching a movie in which he is an actor or the voice over. (I really enjoy The Hunt for Red October, but that is another topic.)

First, I don't hear voices in the plural. I hear my thoughts. Thoughts may take on varied tones or levels of importance, but that is inconsequential in listening for God's direction, as it reflects my personality, the culture around me, etc. I have learned to strip away the mystery of is this thought from God or not? That was a conundrum I didn't enjoy one bit when I began to distrust my learned behavior of accounting for the direction of God as being one of my thoughts making my heart rush. So what is "listening to God" or being "in the spirit?"

I have determined His voice is my functioning conscience. I am rarely confused by and never disappointed answering the urges and inhibitions of that which I know is from God when my conscience speaks. Lining up these morally directive thoughts with Scripture is relatively easy. More than that, however, is the amazing results seeing God's hand move when I obey my conscience. What's more, as I have learned to trust my conscience as the voice of God, it has become ever more sensitive. And learning more is simply exciting, like those first days when I wanted the experience of actively hearing the Father in the now!

The Wild Wood, its many voices of wind and doctrine and its storms of hate and lust, is little trouble to navigate now that the inner light of God is alive and well within me.