Scripture continues to play a very important role in my formative walk with God, yet keeping both “head” and “heart” in my Scripture reading and study has been a challenge. Two helpful insights for me involved, first, identifying two distinct but complimentary approaches to Scripture–-analytical reading and meditative reading–-and, second, intentionally welcoming both approaches as I read and study Scripture. In this reflective essay I describe aspects of my journey and engagement with Scripture, clarifying my understanding of these two approaches (...) to Scripture, and sharing some of the fruit both approaches have yielded for me–-including a meditative poem from an episode in Jesus's ministry. (shrink)

Jesus taught we always live out what is in our heart. Our life is primarily directed by the deeply submerged core beliefs, which may often be very different from what we say we value or believe. One key component of inner formation is changing our core beliefs, with God's grace, and thus reducing the willing-doing gap. In the article, after identifying the problem, and highlighting Jesus’ focus on inner or heart formation, a basic overview of the concept of a belief (...) is presented. Then ten principles or features about core beliefs and formation are proposed and clarified, followed by some implications for practice. (shrink)

“How would Jesus live your life, with your personality, with your talents, with your life experiences, within your life context, if he were you?” is a question posed by Dallas Willard in The Divine Conspiracy. How is it possible for Jesus Christ, Second Person of the Trinity, to know about living a really human life with all of its heartache and struggles? The article presents the biblical teaching for Jesus’ authentic human experience, that Jesus is our genuine example and is (...) the unique one who can show us the way into Kingdom living. After addressing concerns that have been raised about emphasizing the example of Jesus, the NT data affirming Jesus’ authentic human experience are presented, along with some potential objections. The main claim defended: Jesus lived normally within his own human power, relying predominantly on the divine resources of the Father and the Holy Spirit, while using his own divine power infrequently. The article concludes with a few implications for practice, living within our personal human condition as Jesus did, and living beyond our human limitations as Jesus did. (shrink)