Kate- I really love this idea of spiritual paths as an analogy, particularly with buffets. Such a great visual that we can all digest, pun intended. Thank you!
I think one of modern Christianity’s greatest failings is not presenting itself as the single most exciting adventure a person can go on. I could say much more but Christianity is the only life option that gives a crazy leap of faith style adventure while simultaneously offering rock solid stability.
That's true... but sometimes I wonder if we only think people's hearts are hard because we have spent more time trying to get to their heart by means of the head rather than approaching it straight on.
yeah good point, perhaps too much logic and reason isn’t going to work. Although the Bible does say God hardens people’s hearts so sometimes people just aren’t open to hear.
yeah, people aren't argued into heaven. at least not usually. And it's true God harden's people's hearts, but that is also relatively rare in the scriptures. It could certainly be happening in these days, but I feel like we are living in a Romans 1 time, where people are just given over to their desires, and yet at the same time the fields are white for harvest, but the laborers are few... If the few laborers had better tools maybe we would be more effective is kind of what I'm thinking.
it was logic that won me over in the end. Because I was following new age teachers and they were talking about the Bible, or things mentioned in the Bible and when I read the Bible it didn't match up. So I do think there's a place for sharing truth, as well as appealing to people's hearts. Different ways for different people I guess.
“I chose the most ‘boring’ book in the world, and discovered that the cover was not representative of the contents. We cannot see it with a hard heart, but God says, ‘I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.’ Ezekiel: 36:26-27. “
Good article and love the quote above. How much we owe to our Lord-to be called by Him, loved beyond our imagination, to walk with Him in faith and trust, to read His Word and learn from Him, how blessed we are. His Word is living and active…!”
I would love to read what you have to say, and hear your thought on some of my writings too.
Hi! I love this. I am also a Christian, very different path in my faith journey—, but like you I’m probably a personality type that tends to be very open-minded and have engaged with lots of New Agey stuff in the past— I also KNOW how ‘boring’ an orthodox Christian faith sounds to many. . .yet yes I have truly found it is the way of life. (And it’s not actually boring either 😉!)
The documentary you listed (gods of the new age) is an extremely interesting one. I often thought about many popular practices (like yoga, meditation, self-help, vegetarianism) and had a strange suspicion that they all have some kind of the same origin but could not name one. Now I have enough food for thought and research. Thank you for sharing!
well, Jesus said he is the only way to God, and I trust his words because I had an encounter than him so there’s no way that I want to pick and choose from other paths that ultimately are dead ends that lead to our destruction.
The person with an experience (encounter) is never at the mercy of the person with a theory (about spiritual realities). I have had enough encounters with the living God that I could never possibly go any other way. 😃
Kate- I really love this idea of spiritual paths as an analogy, particularly with buffets. Such a great visual that we can all digest, pun intended. Thank you!
I’m so glad you could appreciate it! Thanks for reading.
Fantastic post, Kate.
I think one of modern Christianity’s greatest failings is not presenting itself as the single most exciting adventure a person can go on. I could say much more but Christianity is the only life option that gives a crazy leap of faith style adventure while simultaneously offering rock solid stability.
Your words express it beautifully! Yes, that’s exactly it. Perhaps some people won’t see it with hard hearts though, no matter how it’s presented.
That's true... but sometimes I wonder if we only think people's hearts are hard because we have spent more time trying to get to their heart by means of the head rather than approaching it straight on.
yeah good point, perhaps too much logic and reason isn’t going to work. Although the Bible does say God hardens people’s hearts so sometimes people just aren’t open to hear.
yeah, people aren't argued into heaven. at least not usually. And it's true God harden's people's hearts, but that is also relatively rare in the scriptures. It could certainly be happening in these days, but I feel like we are living in a Romans 1 time, where people are just given over to their desires, and yet at the same time the fields are white for harvest, but the laborers are few... If the few laborers had better tools maybe we would be more effective is kind of what I'm thinking.
it was logic that won me over in the end. Because I was following new age teachers and they were talking about the Bible, or things mentioned in the Bible and when I read the Bible it didn't match up. So I do think there's a place for sharing truth, as well as appealing to people's hearts. Different ways for different people I guess.
“I chose the most ‘boring’ book in the world, and discovered that the cover was not representative of the contents. We cannot see it with a hard heart, but God says, ‘I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.’ Ezekiel: 36:26-27. “
Good article and love the quote above. How much we owe to our Lord-to be called by Him, loved beyond our imagination, to walk with Him in faith and trust, to read His Word and learn from Him, how blessed we are. His Word is living and active…!”
I would love to read what you have to say, and hear your thought on some of my writings too.
I have just subscribed to you! I look forward to reading your work.
Thanks!
Hi! I love this. I am also a Christian, very different path in my faith journey—, but like you I’m probably a personality type that tends to be very open-minded and have engaged with lots of New Agey stuff in the past— I also KNOW how ‘boring’ an orthodox Christian faith sounds to many. . .yet yes I have truly found it is the way of life. (And it’s not actually boring either 😉!)
yes, it's totally not boring! Though I can understand why people think that.
thank you so much for sharing! Have a wonderful Sunday.
The documentary you listed (gods of the new age) is an extremely interesting one. I often thought about many popular practices (like yoga, meditation, self-help, vegetarianism) and had a strange suspicion that they all have some kind of the same origin but could not name one. Now I have enough food for thought and research. Thank you for sharing!
Not to be too cheeky but if it is an all you can eat buffet of spiritual paths. Why not fill your plate with a little bit from each?
well, Jesus said he is the only way to God, and I trust his words because I had an encounter than him so there’s no way that I want to pick and choose from other paths that ultimately are dead ends that lead to our destruction.
The person with an experience (encounter) is never at the mercy of the person with a theory (about spiritual realities). I have had enough encounters with the living God that I could never possibly go any other way. 😃
The myriad apparent choices all demand the exclusivity of "not Christ".