discussion group book MUST READ

Serious Times: Making Your Life Matter in an Urgent Day by James Emery White

...excerpts from chapter 4, "Deepening Our Souls"...



"The world will only be changed when those who call themselves Christians begin to follow Christ, becoming scandalously present in the world in all of their Christlike particularity. Such a life is a formidable presence, forever marking everything in its wake - or not."



"To live for God, we must live with God. But what does this mean? The answer rests in the goal of all spiritual formation, which is to be marked by the fruit of the Spirit - such things as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, self-control. But the fruit of the Spirit is just that. Fruit. The metaphor is important. Fruit does not exist in and of itself. It is something that is produced. It comes from a life source - a branch or a vine. A person does not decide to be patient, much less will to be patient. Patience must be cultivated from the source of patience. That is why the Bible speaks of such things flowing from the Spirit. They emanate from a life with, in and through the Spirit. Only when a spiritual life is cultivated will spiritual fruit be manifest. The true goal of spiritual formation is not the fruit of the Spirit but the relational intimacy that produces the fruit of the Spirit."



"An intimate relationship with God has become something subtly woven into the deepest recesses of our private life instead of a reckless love bursting out of the seams of our soul, exploding into the world around us."



"Love is... a pursuit."



"The impact of most Christ followers on this world is minimal because the degree to which we seek intimacy with Christ is minimal. When there is little that reflects a relationship with Christ in us, we have little of Christ to offer."



"To seek God's face is a serious call, one which is to be engaged with utmost earnestness."



"We conform to the patterns of the world, when we could be morphed into the very image of Christ (Rom. 12:1-2). We focus on religion instead of relationship. Practice instead of passion. Such a life - not rooted in an authentic relationship with God, full of rhetoric and posturing, form and mannerism - is all but empty. We become people possessed with knowledge "about" as opposed to an acquaintance "with." But only intimate relationship with the living God leads to true spirituality. And only true spirituality can affect the world."



"I know that it is a spiritual life that I most want. It is from the depths of the soul that a life most clearly and significantly speaks, and makes its mark and is able to bring Christ to bear on the world. Any life-giving water I might offer to those who thirst is drawn from the well of my soul. ...But there lies the rub. I say I hunger for this, but do I? In truth, I don't always want to go deep. It is easier - far easier - to live my life on the surface waters of communion with God. Going deep with God, as with anyone, is demanding, difficult, time-consuming; it calls for intentionality and discipline, purpose and drive. Like most, I know there is more, but I have often found myself to be inconsistent - or unwilling - in the effort."


He goes on to talk about knowing God through reading His Word, prayer, solitude and silence.

Excellent.