Christian Spirituality

1) personally commune with God 2) worship only God 3) walk consistently in obedience to God

1- set of beliefs held by all denominations 2- set of ethical values 3- way of life

-life of loving attention to God -the practice of focusing our inmost being on God himself -�Beautiful of Soul�

-Deepening Love for God -Peace-a quiet rest defined by a presence -Delight-pleasure, friendship-God laughs into our soul -Emptiness-a yearning, searching, a living thirst -Darkness-dryness-fasting as opposed to the pleasure as feasting -Fire-steady flaming passion-purifying fire of God�s love -Wisdom-knowledge of the Glory of God -Transformation-God captures the inner faculties

-constantly falling in love with God-demands ceaseless vigilance -forces us beyond merely a cerebral religion -stress on centrality of prayer-especially through silence and unceasing prayer -emphasis the solitariness of our life with God

-tendency to separate it from ordinary life-think it can�t be done by an ordinary person -keeps some from serious engagement with the social issues of our day -consuming asceticism-disciplines a means not an end -tendency to devalue intellectual efforts to articulate our faith -neglect the importance of the community of faith

-prayer of the heart - meditation -breathing prayer - contemplation- -worship -slowing -prayer - solitude -fasting

- turning from thinggs of the world and to god -enter the living presence of god -be comfortable and not distracted from god forus heart and mind on god - learn by doing -can meditate on music and scripture

-abstaining from food fro spiritual puposes - from all food but no water -absolute .. no food or water -CAN BE PERSONAL OR IN A GROUP - ther are also partial fasts

- historical= desert father anthony... gave up all that he had and wen to the desert- ten ministered to the poor - Biblical= john the beloved- obsessed with love and the gods love - contemporary= Frank c laubach- missionary educator in philippines- explored growth of soul under god, involved in the literacy movement.

-Virtuous-marked by moral goodness, integrity, morality, chastity, merit, efficacy, purity -Goodness on Fire -deeper formation of an inner personality that reflects the Glory of God -a life that works

--not focusing on actions but on the formation and transformation of your being -not dividing life into sacred/secular but living all of life in the world and for God -not obsessively denying yourself in the name of God but using spiritual disciplines to mold you into God�s likeness for his glory -Not trying to be good enough for God but striving to know God more thru living the life he calls you to -not perfection, but progress in purity and being set apart for holy use -not denying yourself but growing to be all God created you to be

-an ever deeper formation of the inner personality so as to reflect the glory of God -intentional focus upon the heart-call us to purity of heart -assurance of progress -practical understanding of how we grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ -we understand we grow because of grace

-legalism-result of turning focus away from heart and onto externals-replace with love -Pelagianism- earning our standing with God-our goodness our doing-replace with Grace -perfectionism-feeling we are perfect-replace with Growth

-Submission -confession -christlikeness -secrecy -suffering -resisting temptaion