True Spirituality

Slothfulness or laziness is not watching old reruns of television all day as you sit on the couch and eat chocolate bonbons. Laziness is the failure to do what needs to be done when it needs to be done. That’s the classic definition of slothfulness or laziness. It’s not that you’re not busy or active; it’s that you are not doing what needs to be do

WORTHINESS I am now a righteous person in God’s sight since I have trusted Christ. I am covered by the robe of His purity and goodness. Also, since I have a new nature, I am a good person in my general practice of life as I continue to grow in Christ (see 2 Corinthians 5:17). • ISAIAH 61:10 I will rejoice greatly in the Lord, my soul will exult in

In Galatians 1:10, Paul says, he was not trying to please men. In John 5:44, Jesus essentially says, “It’s impossible to genuinely trust Christ when you’re seeking to please people.” And when my eyes scanned Luke 16:15, a spiritual dagger went through my heart as I read “that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God.” Yo

God’s solution for genuine transformation is not rules. It’s not simply an emphasis on all the things we are not to do. God’s solution is not trying hard to be more moral or to keep one’s spiritual nose clean through self-effort. In fact, God’s solution is not primarily about religious activities or programs. Although they have their place and bene

THINK—What did God say to you through this chapter? REFLECT—What new insight did you get about how transformation occurs? UNDERSTAND—Can you think of an experience where your “thinking changed” in a way that led to a change in a relationship or behavior? SURRENDER—Ask God to renew your thinking about His commands—moving from restrictions to guardra

Somehow I got the idea that God was stingy, unkind, and looking to punish me for all the ways my life didn’t measure up. I know these thoughts were rooted in bad theology and growing up apart from Christ; but even as I meet people from excellent Christian homes, I find that most Christ-followers don’t really believe that God is good. Instead of a G

MEETS REAL NEEDS—(V. 10) • Devotion—“Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.” • Humility—“Giving preference to one another in honor.”

As I read this book, and observed the lives of the wonderful and wealthy people at my church (who had previously intimidated me to death), I came to the simple realization that I was insecure, they were insecure, and everyone I will ever meet is insecure as well. It was freeing beyond what I can explain. It gave me permission to take off my mask an

BELONGINGNESS I am wanted, appreciated and loved by God, the most important person in my life. • ROMANS 8:31–32 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him [Jesus] up for us all—how will He [God the Father] not also, along with him [Jesus], graciously give us