Reading at the moment

I'm reading Dallis Willard's 'The Great Omission: Reclaiming Jesus' teaching on discipleship.' It's a good book bringing together some deep but accessible teaching drawn from his work on the Sermon on the Mount (The Divine Conspiracy) and his work on Spiritual Disciplines (The Spirit of the Disciplines). It's worth a read and is slightly lighter reading than some of his previous works, still punchy mind. He talks a lot of sense, that he and by extension we, can ground in day to day reality- my favourite kind of author. Here is a great quote:

The process of 'conformation to Christ', as we might more appropriately call it, is constantly supported by grace and otherwise would be impossible. But it is not therefore passive. Grace is opposed to earning, not effort. In fact nothing inspires and enhances effort like the experience of grace.

We are continuing our thoughts on Jesus' teaching of the kingdom of God tonight. We are looking at a collection of parables (stories) in Matthews Gospel, all of which are about the kingdom and all of which speak about it as a journey of discovery: something open to each one of us.

As we lean into it, a whole new reality opens up to us.

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