Following the Spirit

Written by A K Whitehead


Frank Sinatra made famousrepparttar song "I Did It My Way". It has become so famous that sometimes one even hears it played at funerals - even Christian funerals. It is as though people are so loose in their knowledge about what God wants of us that they see having "done it" their own way as a real testament torepparttar 126839 quality of their lives.

Butrepparttar 126840 principle on which this song is founded is anathema torepparttar 126841 Christian trying to follow Christ. It isrepparttar 126842 last thing we should want as a summary of our lives - that we did everything in our own way!

We are called to live as Jesus lived. One crucial aspect of his life was that it was led byrepparttar 126843 Holy Spirit. This was at least fromrepparttar 126844 start of his public ministry when, after his baptism inrepparttar 126845 Jordan, Luke 4. 1 tells us that he was driven intorepparttar 126846 desert byrepparttar 126847 Spirit.

There are other scriptures which one could quote also if space allowed. Butrepparttar 126848 lesson is that, to live as Jesus lived, we also need to be led byrepparttar 126849 Spirit. Easy to say. But how do we do it?

First Essential The first essential is to know that this is really what God requires of us. We all "know" it in an academic way. We know it as a principle. But what we also need to have isrepparttar 126850 conviction of it!

If we do not have that already, there is only one way to get it: by prayer. Preferably by prayer based onrepparttar 126851 scriptures.

meditate on selected, relevant passages, especially fromrepparttar 126852 New Testament, and preferably fromrepparttar 126853 gospels. (This is discussed in detail by a book on our site: "The keys to Christian Meditation"). For example, readrepparttar 126854 gospels carefully explicitly looking for passages which have especial reference to Jesus being led byrepparttar 126855 Spirit. You need to find them. They are not always overt, so look with care and take your time.

Meditate on these passages allowingrepparttar 126856 Holy Spirit to lead you. Search forrepparttar 126857 realisation that we are to imitaterepparttar 126858 example set for us by Jesus.

The conviction may come in various ways: all at once, or as a gradual process of a growing conviction which no one can give yourepparttar 126859 details for in advance.

Second Essential; Once we really know that this is really what God wants of us,repparttar 126860 second essential is to integrate it into our lives. Easy to say. But how do we start?

We start withrepparttar 126861 determination not to take decisions "off our own bat", not to live as we want but as God wants. We want to end up saying "I did it his way", not "I did it my way".

You can begin in either of two ways. Start withrepparttar 126862 really important decisions and work down torepparttar 126863 daily ones; or start withrepparttar 126864 small ones and work up torepparttar 126865 big ones. This is a matter of personal choice - but also of opportunity

Mel Gibson's "The Passion" Movie Review

Written by Lady Camelot


Mel Gibson's 'The Passion' Movie Review by Lady Camelot

Numbing, captivating, sorrowful, beautiful, profound, phenomenal and humbling - are just a few words to describe Mel Gibson's "The Passion." The last 12 hours of Jesus' life has never been so realistically and dramatically depicted. The scenes, although graphic are compelling and true-to-life.

The most sensitive scene presents Jesus carryingrepparttar cross upon His shoulders. As He staggers uponrepparttar 126838 cobblestone walkway, Mary sees a flashback of their lives together. A mere child, Jesus falls torepparttar 126839 ground and Mother Mary is there to help him, "I'm here," she says. A million miles away in thought, Mary runs torepparttar 126840 aid of her now-grown Son-Of-Man, as He, too stumbles torepparttar 126841 stony pathway.

"The Passion" truly characterizesrepparttar 126842 meaning of "truth." There are no other words to describe this film other than it is "The Passion" of Christ. If anything, "The Passion" promotes absolute faith, forgiveness, love and hope - not only to God, but of humankind as well.

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