four women chatting while sitting on bench
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The Urgent Need For Spiritual Conversations

One thing I have realized for some time now is the fascinating power of spiritual conversations held between Christians. I beleive that if more of the Christian world deeply understood this we would be less obsessed with sermons (as enjoyable as they sometimes are) for our gatherings.

When Christians gather and convsere about Jesus Christ, for Jesus Christ and with the intent to please Jesus Christ. I call these spiritual conversations. They are priceless, they are worth traveling to the other side of the country for… if necessary. He makes our interactions spiritual, and He often makes his presence known within the conversations. Whether it is just two Christians or forty two Christians, when God’s people speak up and interact in faith (and perhaps even have some healthy conflict). Often the mind of Christ is made known in a more complete way. The glory of God is seen and heard in these conversations. Amazing things happen, powerful insights are made known, inspiration, edification, and even miracles flow out of the conversations.

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Paul in 2 Corinthians 3:18

Testimonies of God’s People – Podcast

  1. Tell us what you think of Jesus Christ, what does he mean to you. Take as much time as you need.
  2. When did you become a Christian and why?
  3. What made you decide to get into the ministry?
  4. What do you think the future holds for Christians?
  5. What happens after we die?
  6. Why did God create?
  7. What is your favorite Bible verse right now and why?
  8. How do you hear from the Lord and what has he shown you recently?
  9. What do you think is the most important thing in the next six months for the Christians listening?
  10. What is the church (in general) to you?
  11. What should a church be founded upon?
  12. What is one dream that you have for the church?
  13. Can you tell us at least one amazing story about Jesus Christ.

Spiritual Conversations

As a result of this I feel the Lord is wanting me to begin a project that seeks to have recorded spiritual conversations with mature Christians. In a casual interview style format. The questions I ask will be loose guides for the conversation and wherever we go after that may the Lord guide. If someone wants to just talk about a certain topic or whatever is on their heart we will go with it.

I will record these conversations as long or as short as they may be and publish them as podcast episodes. Not quite sure the name of the podcast yet but once I have 10 recordings I will begin to publish.

If you’d like to help me with this project either as a conversation episode. Or help me make this happen please let met know.

There are ongoing costs for podcast hosting, and if you ever wish to donate please email me at collierak@me.com.

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anxious woman having phone conversation in office
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How To Get Relief From Anxiety

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There have been times that I’ve been anxious about such trivial things that I stopped taking the anxiety serious. It doesn’t torment me anymore. Anxiety is almost like an emotion, it comes and I ignore it, hand it to Jesus in prayer then get busy.

Arrogance and Anxiety I think are two sides of one same coin. They are self-centered emotions, they are emotional reactions to a self-centeredness that should not continue to exist within the mind of the Christian. To daily seek Jesus Christ, as he commanded us to do, we must lay that self-confidence down daily.

I know people who are anxious about their anxiety. And anxious about their physical anxiety symptoms. Its like a never-ending cycle. There is a physical component, a mental component and I believe most importnatly a spiritual component to having anxiety and to finding freedom from anxiety.

Physically magnesium and potassium deficiency can result in anxiety. Mentally a lack of human interaction and love can cause anxiety. But spiritually an overconfidence in self, a lack of understanding in Jesus Christ and or a lack of belief in Jesus Christ results in anxiety.

Anxiety (especially about getting money) is one of the default states of mankind without God. (Matt 6:31)

In thinking and praying about anxiety recently I remembered several things that Jesus said early in his ministry. So many things that I can’t help but notice that, in speaking to his followers and potential followers.

Jesus Christ seems to repeatedly go out of his way, to ask for and to remove the anxieties of his followers.

–Adam Collier

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink? or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Jesus Christ

Matthew 6:31-33

Come to me (not church not religion, not bible, he said “come to ME”) all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, (implies that as we learn from him we too become gentle and lowly in heart) and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. – Jesus Christ

Matthew 11:28-30

Special Anxiety Instructions to Those He Sent

He charged them to “take nothing for their journey except a staff-no bread, no bag, no money in their belts- but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics” – Jesus Christ in Mark 6:8

Jesus Christ personally is the cure to anxiety, life apart from him and life apart from daily seeking him is synonymous with anxiety. Jesus pinned himself to the solution for our anxiety. Jesus Christ himself was what Jesus exchanged for the anxieties of his followers. His person, his essence, take my yoke upon you because my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

I don’t know what may be troubling you. Lack of money, lack of home, lack of health, anxiety about symptoms of anxiety? All of the above?

That is the situation of mankind away from Jesus Christ back when Jesus was speaking and even today. Jesus is still alive, Jesus is still a real and living person, Jesus still has a yoke and a burden for us in exchange for our yokes and burdens. And that yoke and burden is “learning of me”, that is all it is. It is simple and easy. My yoke is too much self confidence in fixing things, in understanidng things and in making good things happen.

He gets my anxiety and troubles, and I get Him. I get to learn of him.

I get more knowing of him, he gets my lack, he gets my neediness, he gets my insecurity. He gets my inability to control our future. In exchange I get to know our creator, I get to learn why he created all this. I get to learn his eternal purpose, I get to unlock the key to understanding God and the universe.

I think we make out the better in this deal.

Here is an article about depression.

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What is the GOSPEL of THE STATE?

You read that right, THE GOSPEL OF THE STATE. This post is not to be confused with article about “the state of the gospel”. This is about the gospel of the state. The word state meaning a centralized human government.

There is a gospel of the state being proclaimed all over the world. And I would argue it is the most popular and widely embraced gospel message on earth. Whether we live under democracy, monarchy, socialism, or a communism. The gospel of the state is preached within them all.

So what then is exactly the gospel of the state?

The Gospel of The State is the false good news and proclamation that the state, the centralized orginization of human government. Can and should be provider, protector and have the position of loving god or parent over a group of nations, an individual nation, a state, or a city.

Adam Collier

Almost every politician, embraces, teaches and many even proclaim with religious fervor their personal take on this gospel.

This gospel has been with us since the very beginning, in the Bible the story is that Cain killed Abel. He then was driven out and he went out to build a city called Enoch (see Gen 4:17). A city and its government with the intention of replacing God, to replace what Cain had lost in the garden after he had killed his brother Abel. Replace the provision, the protection, and even the very presence of God.

Most peoples of the earth fall for some version of the gospel of the state. Many Christians even, have more excitement, passion, and knowledge about their version of the gospel of the state. Than they have for the gospel of the kingdom of Jesus Christ.

Can Human Government Be Good?

The word gospel simply means “good news”, the idea that human government can be good apart from God is the foundation under this gospel of the state. Human government sets out to provide food, housing, physical protection, justice, entertainment and community. To create human government from scratch we must have a concentration of people in one place cooperating peacefully.

Gospel of the State – the Corruption of Human Government

Don’t get me wrong, human government has its place. The service of officials unto a nation, a community or a state is necessary on some level.

The pooling of money for the common good, to create roads, and systems that are impossible without cooperation. And perhaps even to set up safety protections for citizens that are agreed to. As well as for the provision of justice. However, we take it too far when we view those organizations as capable of doing what they are not capable of. We take it too far when we give individuals and agencies, God-like status and powers over ourselves and others.

Gospels of the state flourishes, grows and is spread most where there is: A concentration of power, money and even teachings about what government could and should be.

The state progressively strives to become the defender of the citizenry who have embraced the message being proclaimed. Politicians become preachers of the gospel of the state in increasing passion and conviction.

I think it’s best to look at the issue of governmental power in the context of a gospel. Because a religious gospel message is is the closest approximation of how state power, political messages and religious like fervor is displayed in nations of people.

Which particular gospel of the state might have you embraced?

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