The Spiritual Life in Christ

Dallas Willard in his book “Knowing God Today” says that we can not only know God, but that knowing God is the key to spiritual life.

Let me share some of his thoughts from Chapter Six – “Knowledge of Christ in the Spiritual Life”.

Christian faith is not religion, just as God’s revelation is something very different from religion.

Jesus was misunderstood. People wanted him to bring some gigantic event in some special place. Instead he brought himself so that we could have an interactive relationship with him. This interaction is God’s gift of himself to human beings.

What do we need to partake in this relationship?

Total surrender. We need complete humility to turn from the belief that we are independent, competent and capable of managing everything on our own. We need to submit our pride and receive God’s gift by welcoming God into every dimension of our life and character.

Secondly, we need total transformation of who we are on the inside to take on the character of Christ through living with him day by day and hour by hour – invoking God’s presence in everything we think, say and do.

So, knowing God is not about religion, but it is about allowing God into our hearts and minds so that we can be transformed by his love and will for our lives. While eternal life is the eventual promise, the opportunity right now is to enter the KIngdom of Heaven (Matthew 5:20) by being interactively engaged with Jesus in the present.

People like Brother Lawrence – Practicing God’s Presence, and Frank Laubach – Letters by a Modern Mystic, show us how some have engaged the Lord constantly. Laubach describes it this way, “This spirit which comes to a mind set upon continuous surrender, this spirit is timeless life.”

May I refer you to Chapter 15 in My Training Manual that you will find at lovehealstv.com. There you will find a chapter called “Partnering With Jesus For Life.” See how you too can invite Jesus into your thoughts for an abundant and joyous life.