Spiritual Maturity

P202 Spiritual Maturity Galatians 5:22-23 “Fruit always matures and ripens slowly” P217 It takes years to reach adulthood, a full season for fruit to ripen. Spiritual maturity, reaching our potential, is not going to happen over night. Give yourself and others time.

Conflict and Resolution

Conflict pp153-59 Are relationships always worth restoring? Is there a point when the emotional or mental well-being is more important than the relationship? I agree conflict resolution is not taught well. It should also be taught when to avoid conflict or when to create it. Actually, how to “fight” is not taught well either. P162 “Conflict is usually a sign that the focus has shifted to less important issues, things the Bible calls 'disputable matters'.” Actually, in my experience the conflict arises when believers consider disputable matters fundamental.

Church Home/Church Family (pp133-37)

I think it is important to have a church home/family for spiritual support—receiving and giving. When there is a tragedy in a family, Christians need their church family to help support their physical family. We need one another to lift one another up and grow. I disagree, though, that every Christian must serve within the church and might have a ministry beyond that. If God has called a believer to ministry outside the church, then they should be able to find rest, refuge and refilling within the church.

Tell God exactly how you feel (p110)

This is one of my favorite things I have learned as a Christian—that “God can handle your doubt, anger, fear, grief, confusion, and questions.” When Warren says “David's frankness actually reveals deep faith” in that “he believed God would listen to his prayer [and] he believed God would let him say what he felt and still love him.” How comforting to know!

Obedience as an act of worship (pp72-73)

This is the first installment of my Thinking Out Loud series on The Purpose Driven Life. I reviewed the book here https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/973038551?book_show_action=false but also decided the best, most thorough way to deal with this book was to blog through my reactions. Warren claims obedience to God is an act of worship. However, I this this is a stretch. Sure it brings pleasure to God. Worship is adoring reverence, respect and awe. I don't think obedience can be put on that level. If it is then how do we draw the line between obedience to God as worship but obedience to someone else is not worship? (I know my kids' obedience is NOT an act of worship). Besides, we are to only worship God—no one and nothing else.

Classic sci-fi

The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Martians are landing in England and this is one unnamed man's account of what happened before, during and after.

I noticed this classic was a free e-book and decided to give it a try since we were in the middle of a move and I didn't have access to my books and wasn't allowed a library card yet. Written in the late 1800's, it was good, really good. I can see why it is considered a classic.

I didn't give it 5 stars because sometimes it seemed to drag and other times I got lost in his dialect and geography. But otherwise his descriptions of the Martians and their machines and weapons was imaginative and entertaining.

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What is temptation really?

The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The reader has the opportunity to read letters written by Screwtape—a retired tempter of Satan—who is mentoring a young tempter called Wormwood. Screwtape is trying to advise Wormwood on the best way to tempt and lead astray his human assignment.

This book is an interesting perspective on the usual list of “do's and don't's” or “should and should not” that some Christians subscribe to. I know some will have a hard time stomaching that this is one side of a conversation between two demons, but perhaps those who avoid traditional religious books will find this interesting. I found it more though provoking than I expected. Due to some of the subject matter, I would recommend this to young adult and up.

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