Sermon Notes
Can God change our being?
“Everybody thinks of changing humanity and nobody thinks of changing himself.”
-- Leo Tolstoy
The goal of these inward disciplines is to place us in proximity with God’s presence.
As we begin the path toward spiritual renewal with the inward disciplines, how are we supposed to act?
- Simplicity, solitude, submission and service.
Outward lifestyles must only flow from inward realities.
The greatest problems of our time are not technological, for these we handle fairly well. They are not even political or economic, because difficulties in these areas, glaring as they may be, are largely derivative (unoriginal). The greatest problems are moral and spiritual, and unless we can make some progress in these realms, we may not even survive.
-- D. Elton Trueblood
Ecclesiastes 7:29
God made man simple; man’s complex problems are of his own devising.
Ecclesiastes 7:29 (The MSG)
Yet I did spot one ray of light in this murk: God made men and women true and upright; we’re the ones who’ve made a mess of things.
Purity of heart is to will one thing.
Conformity to a society we view as sick is to be sick.
Matthew 6:24
“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
Matthew 6:25, 33
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life…But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Simplicity is an inward spirit of trust.
Freedom from anxiety is characterized by three inner attitudes.
What we have as a gift from God.
What we have is to be cared for by God.
What we have is available to others.