Fifth Sunday of Easter

Bottom Line Spirituality: Worldly and Godly Thinking

Click here to go to the Bottom Line Meditations for the Fifth Sunday of Easter

Godly Abiding Spiritually in Jesus Changes the Meaning of What we See Worldly When Not Abiding in Jesus.

Spirituality is our innate ability to feel the difference worldly or godly thinking makes to the way scripture translates to our daily life and relationships.

John 13:31-35 "Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once.”

SPIRITUALITY CHANGES OUR LIFE

We try to change our worldly life to feel God’s Presence.

Godly feeling His Presence changes our life.

We try to understand the meaning of the words of Jesus to feel His Presence.

In feeling the Presence of the Wisdom Jesus has in us, we understand the meaning of the words.

The word “Glory” is an example of this. There is a common meaning of “we beheld His glory”. John 1:14 His glory rationally might be how magnificent God in Christ is. The spiritual meaning is to experience the Presence of God in Christ.

This is the meaning of every spiritual word in the Gospels and particularly in John. “In the beginning was the Word.” John 1:1 Rationally, the “Word” means “Jesus”, or it can mean what He has said. Spiritually, the “Word” is the experience of God in Christ.

“In him was life.” John 1:4 Rationally, this means physical life. Spiritually, “Life” is the experience of the Presence of God in Christ.

“Death” is rationally physical. Spiritually, it is experiencing the Presence of God in Christ. “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live (spiritually), even though he dies (physically). Whoever lives physically and believes (spiritually) in me will never die (spiritually). John 11:25-26

“That life was the light of all mankind.”  John 1:4 Rationally, “light” means to see clearly. Spiritually, it means to experience the Presence of God in Christ

“The light shines in the darkness.” John 1:5 Rationally, darkness means the absence of light. Spiritually, it means not to experience the Presence of God in Christ. Nicodemus came to Jesus at night. Night rationally means he came when it was dark. Spiritually, it means he came when his mind was dark and not experiencing the Presence of God in Christ.

“There was a man sent from God… to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe.” John 1:6-7 Rationally, “believe” is to believe that God was in Christ. Spiritually, “believe” means to experience the Presence of God in Christ.

“He was in the world, …and the world did not know Him.” John 1:10 Rationally, the “world” is the place where humans live. Spiritually, the “world” is the place within us that we do not experience His Presence.

“Children born, not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” John 1:13 Rationally, children are the young who believe God was in Jesus. Spiritually, we are “children” when we are experiencing the Presence of God in Christ. “Born” rationally is to be birthed. Spiritually, “born” means we come from experiencing the Presence of God in Christ.

“The Kingdom of Heaven” is a place above where God is. Spiritually, the “Kingdom” is a place in us where we experience the Presence of God in Christ.

“He continued, ‘You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.’” John 8:23 Rationally, “above” means “up”.  Spiritually, “above” means experiencing the Presence of God in Christ. “Below” rationally means “down”. Spiritually, “below” means not experiencing the Presence of God in Christ

We can understand the spiritual meaning by feeling the difference between rational and spiritual thinking.

This is all about being able to change from the rational thinking in the head to consciously feeling the Presence from the heart. It takes practice.

Try discerning the spiritual meaning of these words.

GLORY

LIFE

DEATH

LIGHT

DARKNESS

WORLD

ABOVE

BELOW

BELIEVE

WORLD

BORN

Revelation 21:6 “To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.”

Spirituality can change our life by feeling His Presence when we are spiritually thirsty.