Seventh Sunday After Pentecost

Bottom Line Spirituality: Worldly and Godly Thinking

Click here to go to the Bottom Line Meditations for Seventh Sunday after Pentecost

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.

Remember: The DISCIPLE-SHIFT

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The Virtual Small Group

Members share once a week with their group through the internet when a shift from being out to being in the Presence made a difference.

Jesus took common words and gave them the spiritual meaning of being in the Presence of the Spirit.

The Gospel of grace is: rather than us trying to build a life of faith for God, we become a life of faith by God when consciously feeling the Faith He has in us.

The War on Legalism

God declared War on Legalism when He sent His Word into the World. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us … full of grace and truth. John 1:14 Legalism fought back against the grace believing the Bible, not Jesus, is the word of God. Grace is based on the Two Great Love Commandments. All the Law and the Prophets have now been changed into “do the loving thing.” Matthew 22:37-40 The New Command is to be in His Presence in order to Love one another. John 13:34 “Apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

Luke 10:1-11, 16-20  “Carry no purse, bag, or sandals.”

Galatians 2:21 “I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” According to legalistic calculations the problem between grace and legalism doesn’t exist.

These are the end times for Jesus on this earth. He has set His face toward Jerusalem. Nothing will turn him back. He now sends seventy new disciples ahead of Him in pairs to every town and place where He Himself intends to go. “I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you.” Their mission is to cure the sick who are there, and say to them, “The kingdom of God has come near to you.”

His orders are to carry no purse, no bag and no sandals. Legalism thinks this is not a very good idea. There are some who have failed trying to do it. The exception is Arthur Blessitt who carried the cross around the world to every nation. He is listed in the Guinness World Records for the world's longest walk of over 39,671 miles.

Spiritual thinking would look at what was left for the disciples to carry? What was left was the cloak. The explanation of the coat is that it was their uniform. People would recognize the apostles by their common cloak. The one Peter grabbed out of the boat as he swam to Jesus. Why not leave it there? The boat was just a short distance from shore. He could get it dry when the boat landed. No, it was the sign of his ministry. John 21:7

When the disciples came into a town, those who knew Jesus knew who they were. They were willing put them up and care for them while they were ministering. Arthur Blessitt had his cross he carried. They had their cloak.

The key is when they came back. The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!” Where did they get their power? It was from being in the Presence and taking Him consciously with them in their heart. That is why He told them, “Do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” Written in heaven is grace for being in His Presence right now.

This is the basis of making the shift to being in the Presence.  We do not depend on our performance, the performance of others or the events that happen. We rejoice that we feel His Presence in us. Every time we minister feeling the power of the Spirit. It is a sign our names are written in the Kingdom of Heaven. The Kingdom is at hand, here and now and within us. Don’t leave home without it.

THE DISCIPLE-SHIFT: The Virtual Small Group:  Members share once a week with their group through the internet when a shift from being out to being in the Presence made a difference.