- God loves me, and has a wonderful plan for my life.
- As I humble myself and turn away from my wicked ways, I position myself to receive the fullness of God’s blessings and favor.
- I confess that I have sinned — against myself, others, and God — to the point where I deserve nothing but condemnation and death.
- Through the cross, I have been born again as God’s child; He blesses me because He wants to, not because I deserve it.
- In order to receive my inheritance, I must confront and overcome the part of myself that wants to remain a slave to the systems of this world.
- In God’s timing, I will respectfully renegotiate my relationship to the people and institutions that were my Egypt, in order to redeem myself and them.
- Going forward, I will boast of my weakness, so that God’s power gets all the credit for my achievements.
Tag Archives: relationship
The Rule of Ernest the Sinner
StandardSpirituality for the Complexity of Adam
Hat tip to St. Benedict
The Three Imperatives
Glorify GodMake the Cross attractive by loving God, our Selves, and our Others as Jesus does- Cultivate self-differentiating Relationships, Metrics, and Practices that help us further the First Imperative
- Write up your own Rule
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AORTA Adolescence: The Perpetual Practice of Growing into Christ
StandardIt may be too late to have a happy childhood, but it is never too late to have a turbulent adolescence!
We as a society have lost sight of what it means to grow up. And that’s a good thing!
The gift (and curse) of the Enlightenment is that each of us must answer the question: who do I want to be when I grow up? It is tempting to envy our ancestors and traditional cultures who had well-defined “markers of maturity”, e.g., marriage, mortgage, and making money. There is enormous security, stability, and support in having society validate who you are supposed to be.
But there is also enormous danger, especially for Christians.
The San Jose Declaration: Ending the Abortion Wars
StandardApril 1st, 2031 A.D.
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the San Francisco Revival of the 2020s was an end to the politicization of abortion, in a way that seemed unimaginable to those who lived through the culture wars that peaked during the Trump presidency. While extremists on both sides still refuse to make peace, the public debate has largely moved on.
The turning point was when two courageous women made a conscious choice to reject the dichotomy between honoring women and honoring the unborn, thus defusing the righteous indignation that had fueled both sides.
And it all began with a yoga class…
Lesson 5/6 Courage (Anjali’s Catechism)
StandardFaith: Wise Risk
It would be wonderful if everyone knew how to find real happiness, glory, and relationships by believing in the same God Jesus did.
However, believing in God is not learning a fact, such as:
- 2 + 2 = 4
- Grass is green
- I prefer berry pie to chocolate cake
Lesson 4/6 True Love (Anjali’s Catechism)
StandardWorship: He’s Worth It
The whole point of becoming a Christian is to know and love God, ourselves, and others the way Jesus did. But what exactly is love?
We use the word “love” whenever we strongly desire or value something. But there are three very different kinds of love:
- Happiness: because it what we want and makes us feel good
- Glory: because it helps us become or be known as our best
- Relationship: because we feel or want to be connected to it
Joshua 3: Holy Shittim!
StandardQuestions:
- Why should the Israelites stay a kilometer behind the ark?
- How does God exalt Joshua? To what end?
- Where should priests keep the presence of God?
- What is the connection between “relationship” and “results”?
- What’s the secret to leading a large group on inconceivable adventures?
Read more to pursue answers in [Joshua 3]
