The book is intended as 1) a challenge to Christians to explore more deeply their Christian walk and 2) an introduction to non-Christians and nominal Christians of the true meaning of Christianity. There are 35 Reflections, each on an important aspect of the Christian life. At the end there are thought and discussion questions for each Reflection. The book is ideal for both individual and group study, prayer and discussion.

REFLECTIONS

THE CHALLENGE AND EXCITEMENT OF THE COMMITTED CHRISTIAN LIFE VOLUME 1By Robert J. Burton

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2009 Robert J. Burton
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4389-8692-0

Contents

INTRODUCTION...............................................................xREFLECTION 1: LOVING TOTALLY - OR NOT?.....................................1REFLECTION 2: THE CONSECRATED CHRISTIAN LIFE...............................5REFLECTION 3: UNQUENCHABLE LOVE............................................9REFLECTION 4: CHRIST IS THE CENTER OF ALL CREATION.........................13REFLECTION 5: JUSTIFIED! SANCTIFIED? GLORIFIED?............................17REFLECTION 6: A FATHER OF THE EARLY CHURCH SPEAKS..........................21REFLECTION 7: JESUS CHRIST: STILL A SACRIFICE..............................25REFLECTION 8: "AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN"..................................29REFLECTION 9: CAN ILLNESS COME FROM GOD?...................................33REFLECTION 10: BLACK AND WHITE - OR GRAY?..................................37REFLECTION 11: IS THERE INTRINSIC EVIL?....................................41REFLECTION 12: THE MESSIAH IS AMONG US!....................................45REFLECTION 13: HEAVEN IS REAL!!............................................49REFLECTION 14: CONQUEROR OF THE WORLD......................................53REFLECTION 15: THE TRINITY.................................................57REFLECTION 16: ARE KINGS OLD-FASHIONED?....................................61REFLECTION 17: IT'S ALL A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE............................65REFLECTION 18: TRULY CHRISTIAN??...........................................69REFLECTION 19: WHAT IS THE SCOOP ON HALLOWEEN?.............................73REFLECTION 20: LOOK AROUND, ATHEISTS!......................................77REFLECTION 21: "GO TO HELL!"...............................................81REFLECTION 22: LUKEWARMNESS? NOT ME!.......................................85REFLECTION 23: THE SECRET..................................................89REFLECTION 24: BASEBALL IN HEAVEN?.........................................93REFLECTION 25: "JESUS OF NAZARETH".........................................97REFLECTION 26: 5 OUT OF 10 - IS THAT SO BAD?...............................101REFLECTION 27: "ABBA, FATHER!".............................................105REFLECTION 28: AM I SUPPOSED TO LOVE - EVERYONE?!..........................109REFLECTION 29: "ANGELOLOGY"................................................113REFLECTION 30: LIFE IS PRECIOUS!...........................................117REFLECTION 31: LIVE BY THE FLESH OR LIVE BY THE SPIRIT.....................121REFLECTION 32: ISRAELITES AT HEART!........................................125REFLECTION 33: MEMORIES OF THE PERSECUTED CHURCH...........................129REFLECTION 34: "VANITY OF VANITIES ... ALL IS VANITY"......................133REFLECTION 35: LAW CENTERED OR CHRIST CENTERED?............................137QUESTIONS/DISCUSSIONReflection 1: LOVING TOTALLY - OR NOT?.....................................141Reflection 2: THE CONSECRATED CHRISTIAN LIFE...............................142Reflection 3: UNQUENCHABLE LOVE............................................143Reflection 4: CHRIST IS THE CENTER OF ALL CREATION.........................144Reflection 5: JUSTIFIED! SANCTIFIED? GLORIFIED?............................145Reflection 6: A FATHER OF THE EARLY CHURCH SPEAKS..........................146Reflection 7: JESUS CHRIST: STILL A SACRIFICE..............................147Reflection 8: "AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN"..................................148Reflection 9: CAN ILLNESS COME FROM GOD?...................................149Reflection 10 BLACK AND WHITE - OR GRAY?...................................150Reflection 11: IS THERE INTRINSIC EVIL?....................................151Reflection 12: THE MESSIAH IS AMONG US.....................................152Reflection 13: HEAVEN IS REAL!!............................................153Reflection 14: CONQUEROR OF THE WORLD......................................154Revelation 15: THE TRINITY.................................................155Reflection 16: ARE KINGS OLD FASHIONED?....................................156Reflection 17: IT'S ALL A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE............................157Reflection 18: TRULY CHRISTIAN?............................................158Reflection 19: WHAT IS THE SCOOP ON HALLOWEEN?.............................159Reflection 20: LOOK AROUND, ATHEISTS!......................................160Reflection 21: "GO TO HELL!"...............................................161Reflection 22: LUKEWARMNESS? NOT ME!.......................................162Reflection 23: THE SECRET..................................................163Reflection 24: BASEBALL IN HEAVEN?.........................................164Reflection 25: "JESUS OF NAZARETH".........................................165Reflection 26: 5 OUT OF 10 - IS THAT SO BAD?...............................166Reflection 27: "ABBA, FATHER!".............................................167Reflection 28: AM I SUPPOSED TO LOVE - EVERYONE?...........................168Reflection 29: ANGELOGY....................................................169Reflection 30: LIFE IS PRECIOUS............................................170Reflection 31: LIVE BY THE FLESH OR LIVE BY THE SPIRIT.....................171Reflection 32: ISRAELITES AT HEART.........................................172Reflection 33: MEMORIES OF THE PERSECUTED CHURCH...........................173Reflection 34: "VANITY OF VANITIES ... ALL IS VANITY"......................174Reflection 35: LAW CENTERED OR CHRIST CENTERED?............................175

Chapter One

REFLECTION 1: LOVING TOTALLY - OR NOT?

Do you love God? Do I? I mean really, really love Him? Our eternal destiny and the meaning of our life on earth depend on the answer. Please do not glibly respond, "Sure I love God!" True love is other-centered, and so true love of God is Other-centered. Love is not love when it is proclaimed through fear or duty or because of a desire for personal gain (even Heaven!) Let's go to the Bible: When a Scripture verse is so important, so basic - indeed, so essential - that it was ordered to be displayed prominently at home and even on one's physical person, well, then it should make us sit up and pay attention. Thus we have this pivotal verse in the Old Testament Book of Deuteronomy: "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates." (Deuteronomy 6: 4-9) Moses was God's instrument in bringing this key and critical message to the people of Israel - a message that laid the very foundation of their religion and their spirituality.

Sadly, over the centuries, the passage remained for many, especially the religious leaders, the foundation of their religion but not their spirituality. The religious leaders were very good at following the letter of that command, but at the time of Jesus many of them had lost the spirit of it. Nevertheless, Jesus reinforced the importance of this message from God when He responded to the question from a Pharisee as to which was the...