WHAT IS DEEPER LIFE ALL ABOUT?

The call of Jesus Christ to us is at once exhilarating and demanding. “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him” (John 7:37-38). The life offered by Jesus may seem distant and almost unreachable from where we really live today with our weaknesses, doubts, and old habits.

Can our lives really be transformed so that we can take on the character of Jesus Christ? The answer of Jesus is a resounding YES! You can begin today, right where you are. You don’t have to become someone else; you don’t have to fix anything before you begin. The life Jesus embodies and describes is not just for some upper class of super-Christians. It is intended for and readily available to each of us, and we can pursue it today.

A few things are needed to begin moving into the real life that Jesus offers. The first is to consider the message Jesus proclaims: “The Kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15). Surrender to the gracious governing of God means forgiveness of our sin, restoration of our relationship with God, hope for the future, and help for living our lives today. To receive God’s grace and enter the Kingdom of God, scripture teaches that we must hear and believe the good news of Jesus Christ, repent of our sin, trust and profess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and be baptized. In His kindness and power God forgives us of our sin and restores us to a right relationship with Him. We receive new life and the presence of God’s Holy Spirit living with us at all times.

Continuing in the grace of God, disciples aspire to become like Jesus Christ. We must know about the life He lived and taught about and take that life into our mind and imagination as our defining vision for who we want to become. Then we must move beyond thinking and dreaming about this life (which are good things!), and we need to truly intend to do what it takes to experience transformation in our lives. If aspiration is our desire to become like Jesus, intention is our determination that moves us to make it a reality. Our intention will naturally cause us to take up the means through which we can encounter God and experience growth. There are many well-established practices or pathways Christians have been using throughout the last two centuries to welcome God’s transforming power into their lives.

Aspiration, Intention, and Means are all essential parts of our effort to receive and utilize God’s grace in order to experience a changed life! Every disciple is a life-student of Jesus, and CSF Deeper Life Ministries are designed to help you experience a variety of pathways to growth in Jesus Christ.