Pentecost

Bottom Line Spirituality: Worldly and Godly Thinking

Click here to go to the Bottom Line Meditations for 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.

Acts 2:4 “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit”

DISCIPLE-SHIFT

The Virtual Small Group

It is important to understand why Jesus chose the Disciples. His plan was to teach, train and then send them out to witness. “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:19

Today the most effective way to be a disciple and to witness in growing churches is through small groups.  The problem for many of us is TIME. It is difficult for many families to find the time for regular prayer, Bible study and extra meetings aside from Sunday church. Granted there are the deeply committed, but what about those families who seek commitment in such a busy world?

The need to witness today is the same. How we witness must be updated. We have computers, cell phones, Facebook, Twitter. How do we utilize them to witness? We need to make a paradigm shift. It is called DISCIPLE‑SHIFT.

The DISCIPLE‑SHIFT offers an inventive way to grow spiritually and to witness to others about the grace of God within us all.

The focus of the DISCIPLE‑SHIFT is the understanding that we are not to live broken lives but whole lives. We can self-correct our life by shifting into the Presence of Jesus in us. Being in the Presence creates the atmosphere that addresses the root cause of all our distress. It is a paradigm shift in a basic assumption: shift from “we think we are right” to “finding Peace regardless of who is right”. In shifting, we find that quiet place within us. The shift alleviates the necessity to work through past traumas, unhealthy thoughts or deal with negative emotions. It opens a spiritual immune system that brings emotional health in us. It is a part of us, apart from any external circumstances.

We can self-correct our negative thoughts by moving from the rational head to the conscious heart. We transcend the moment of the thought by being brought to a higher level of Peace that quiets our rational mind to see the Wisdom we miss when we are out of this Presence. The shift helps us realize early when we are in a low mood.

The discipline for a DISCIPLE‑SHIFT is to be accountable to a virtual small group. “Virtual” means “resulting in effect or essence though not in actual fact, form or name”. The virtue of the “virtual” group is that there are no meetings to attend, no books to read, and it does not cost anything. It does have one requirement. You commit to sending one email per week to your group about the difference being in or out of the Presence made in your day. Be brief! The acronym is WAIT: No asking “Why”, no “Advice”, speak in terms of “I” and stay out of “Theology” by staying in the Presence. Using WAIT is critical to the success of the virtual small group. The focus is witnessing, not preaching or teaching or correcting. Also, what happens in the emails stays in the emails, i.e. No Gossip!

Christianity knows the Presence is there and we can only fulfill the requirements of doing the loving thing first by entering into the Holy place within the veil. This is discovered by wondering what difference being in or out of His Presence can make in our life right now. Every time we do this, this is our Pentecost.

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.