Mindful Christianity is the spiritual discipline of consciously living a crucified life in Christ. Offering a way of denying self, picking up our cross, and truly following the Savior. (Matthew 16:24)
Whatever you are seeking in the New Year - what is seemingly impossible to you that may require faithful obedience to surrender unto Heavenly Father's will? How are you able to live a mindful and crucified Christian life where your response is that of Mary and living in a manner that is according to God's word?
Analysis and structure of Matthew and Luke's Gospel is a personal resource and study guide for the New Testament.
Faithful stewardship of my own learning means that I am expressing my obedience regarding the administration of time granted unto me. Managing time to engage in the spiritual discipline of reading, studying, and applying spiritual truths to my own life is a step-in cultivating stewardship over my own learning. And it is the core essential discipline to all other spiritual disciplines.
Imagine standing with the disciples of John the Baptist and hearing this question being asked: What seek ye? (John 1:38). Have you contemplated this question for yourself? Do you know what it is that you are truly seeking after? The response of the disciples may be that of our own response: Where is Christ residing… Continue reading “What Seek Ye?”
The cost of personal discipleship where we come unto Christ and follow Him is a journey that is difficult, rugged, and quite challenging. Yet, there is great abundance of spiritual growth, knowledge, guidance, and wisdom. Strength is drawn from the Savior himself as our sure foundation. A personal discipleship where we come to know, and appreciate, the attributes of our Heavenly Father. Come to know Christ, whom the Father has sent. Being transformed into the image and likeness of Christ. This is because the teachings of Jesus Christ - His Doctrine, His Gospel - requires personal scrutiny of self. It invites careful examination and study. It maintains genuine personal reflection and inspection of our attitude and beliefs necessary for genuine discipleship.
Transforming our lives from a broken and fallen past requires acceptance of what has transpired beforehand through acknowledging our own failings, our own poor choices, and the circumstances that have been out of our own control. It also requires turning to and giving over our own will to the will of a Sovereign God, knowing that through His own power and mercy, we will receive forgiveness and redemption. It then requires our own commitment in walking daily, seeking His guidance, companionship, and nurture for our own development of faith.
The proverb of putting one's hand on the plow means that one is decisively willing to commit themselves over to God. Our belief, our faith, our hope, and confidence of salvation and spiritual growth and mastery is sustained in our Heavenly Father - through Jesus Christ. And since some of Christ's teachings reflected the understanding of agriculture in His lifetime - we find the application of this passage poignant and true. Andy person willing to commit their lives and will over to the care of our Heavenly Father will only taste the fruits of spiritual growth, knowledge, insight, wisdom, and mastery by concentrating on growing in Christ and keeping an eternal perspective based on Gospel truths and principles.
Growing in spiritual knowledge and understanding are the foundation toward building faith in Christ (our sure foundation), Ability to invite the Holy Spirit into our hearts and minds to bring about personal revelation, wisdom, counsel, and guidance so that we are able to gain greater insight into the teachings of Christ. And helps us increase in our faith in who Jesus Christ is and what his doctrines are. So that we are able to apply those teachings into our lives and become complete, whole, and blameless as fulfillment of the promises of Christ and our Heavenly Father. All being part of the New and Everlasting Covenant made through the infinite atonement of Jesus Christ.
Our Heavenly Father has provided a way for us to acquire spiritual knowledge. He has established the conditions we are to follow in order to gain such truths. Through His divinely ordained pattern requires that we have an honest desire to know the truth and are willing to live according to that which He has revealed. Our sincere desire will lead us to seek truth through prayer and to diligently study the New Testament.
Each of us ought to thoughtfully consider ways we want to continue to learn and grow spiritually. This includes ways where we see improvements in our lives. Whether there are questions we have - or concerns needing attention, it is through sincere prayer and seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit that helps us apply those principles into our own lives. And it begins when we come to the awareness of how much the scriptures call our attention to the reliance on Christ as a means to live an authentic mindful life. Our true desire is to actively learn by faith in Jesus Christ where we are blessed and see personal improvements in life. And it is through diligent study and searching the New Testament where we learn by faith in Christ.
Mindful Christian Living 