Through The Wilderness: Following Jesus in the 21st Century ~ Marlena Graves

Sharpening perceptions of reality and providing spiritual guidance for those in the crux of wilderness experiences. Substantial spiritual nourishment for those who know or sense that Christ is anything but shallow. Encouraging readers to radically (which to Christ is normal) serve God and others. The author is teaching herself and others to read the world through the lens of the gospel and to become active participants in the local and worldwide body of Christ.

May 19, 2010

The Kingdom of God Is Not Merely Talk.

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. I Corinthians 4:20.

We can talk a lot about Jesus and spiritual formation, but the question is: how much transformation is occuring in our lives? Does our talk far surpass our Christ-like being and practice? God is not concerned with all of my talk and writing. God is not concerned with all of the Church's talk and writing. He is concerned that I love him and become more like him (Romans 8:29), that his bride, the Church, love him--that she be transformed from a harlot into a loving and beautiful and faithful wife.

A couple of months ago, I was in a conversation with two people, a pastor and an elder. Both expressed doubts about whether much tranformation takes place in the Christian life. They said that they saw very little evidence of tranformation within themselves and those around them. I agree that if we look at the Church and even ourselves, we can be discouraged by the lack of transformation. Or at least, we might be discouraged by the pace of sanctification and transformation. But then I remember Exodus 23:30 "Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land." God promised to drive out the inhabitants of the land "little by little." Transformation can occur daily. We can daily move forward, even if just a little, in the Christ life. Almost all decisions and thoughts (I am not talking about whether we should wear a blue or red shirt type of decisions) allow us to choose between life and death. If we give into our fleshly inclinations or temptations--death. If through the power of the Holy Spirit we choose to do and be what Christ would have us--life.

So here is a more pointed question, if we look over our life, if we reflect on our soul's past, do we see that God's power is at work as he little by little rids us of all within us that is not of him? Do we notice God giving us the grace to do things that aren't natural? Are the fruits of the Spirit increasing, even if ever so slightly, in our life?

I will share some more along these lines tomorrow.

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Read Old Books. They Expand Our Souls.

One excellent way to see how much our culture's passing weather patterns have influenced us is to read old books. If you recieve all your information from contemporary writers, Christian or secular, you will never perceive whole concepts that people in other generations could see. (For example, earlier generations of Christians perceived a power in sexual purity that eludes us completely; we can only fall back on "don'ts"). Every Christian should always have at his bedside at least one book that is at least fifty years old--the older the better.

Frederica Matthews-Greene