Bernard of Clairvaux

Once I came to realize that without God I can do nothing, it pushed me to accept his love.  I accepted his love for my own sake and turned to his loving care when I needed it.  Yes, selfish…but that is how it begins.  The beauty of God’s love is that it makes you grow.  And so eventually I began to see God’s grace as he protected me in each of my desolate situations, and it changed my heart.  I began to love God not just for his help, but simply for who he is – a beautiful, gracious rescuer.  He is so sweet and satisfying.  I began to enjoy him and his presence.  I grew to love the same things he loves.  I now love him for his own sake and strive to please him in loving others with his love.  At times I fall back into my selfish ways and forget about the instances in which I have experienced this degree of love.  Nonetheless, I have experienced it and he continually reminds me of it when I need reminding.  It is from those instances that I mature in this love.  With all this being said, I anxiously await the day that I will stand before God wholly complete, totally united with him.  We will be of one mind and one spirit.  I will not have to tend to my body’s immediate needs, but will attend to God completely and be mindful of his justice alone.  I will finally be able to truly love myself, not for my own sake, but for God’s.

Dallas Willard - Question 2

“If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away.  For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.”  There are a few choice sins that I have had quite a struggle with.  Everyone struggles with something.  This verse gives the best advice possible.  Rather than let something that may cause more temptation lurk around you, do away with it completely.  Let there be not even a hint of immorality.  Otherwise, you are much more susceptible to falling back into sin and separating yourself from the Lord.

                “But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.”  We all have people in our lives that have wronged us.  There are people that we may not be too fond of.  Yet we are called to love these people anyway.  If we do not, and only love those who are easy to love, we are no better than “tax collectors.”  Even those who do not follow Christ love the people whose company they enjoy or those that treat them well.  We would look just like the rest of the world, and therefore ruin our witness to the lost around us.

Dallas Willard - Question 1

1.       Let your light shine before others.

2.       Be reconciled to your brother before you offer your gift.

3.       Come to terms quickly with your accuser.

4.       If something causes you to sin, get rid of it.

5.       Do not swear on anything.

6.       Do not resist the one who is evil, but turn the other cheek.

7.       Give to the one who begs from you.

8.       Love your enemies.

9.       Pray for those who persecute you.

10.   Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.

C.S. Lewis - Question 2

My home church is First Baptist Church of Mansfield, Texas.   A few years ago some leaders in the church realized the need for discipleship among the men in the area.  As a result, a weekend-long retreat known as “Man Up” was created.  This is a time once a year when men all around the Mansfield area gather and do “manly things.”  But there are also times of deep Bible study, older men investing in younger men, worship, teaching, testimonies, etc.  Each activity is based on making the participants men after God’s heart – little Christs – so that they might leave that place and be able to do the same for others.  It draws men in, and then unleashes them back out.  It has proved to be a very effective ministry with a larger impact than we ever could have imagined.

C.S. Lewis - Question 1

I relate very well to Lewis’ words when he wrote “For what we are trying to do is to remain what we call ‘ourselves,’ to keep personal happiness as our great aim in life, and yet at the same time be ‘good.’  We are all trying to let our mind and heart go their own way – centered on money or pleasure or ambition – and hoping, in spite of this, to behave honestly and chastely and humbly.”  This is what I find so difficult about giving my all to God: that it is impossible to live both for Him and for myself.  Why can’t I do both?  I can be stubborn sometimes, so I tried living like this for a while and finally realized it didn’t work.  I tried to be “good” and hoped that after I accomplished whatever good was demanded of me that my “poor natural self will still have some chance, and some time, to get on with its own life and do what it likes.”  There were times when I felt tired of trying to be good and times that I wondered why I wasn’t getting enough credit for being good.  I have come a long way since then, but sometimes I still see little glimpses of that same living-for-two-masters attitude seeping in.  It can be difficult for me to completely stamp that out.