4 Neglected Paths to Spiritual Authenticity

As we continue in the book of Ezra this weekend, the Israelites are returning from exile. They have a chance to rebuild their lives, their city, and their temple. But, more importantly, they’ve also been given another chance to build spiritually authentic lives. 

Their spiritual inauthenticity is what got them into trouble in the first place.

Spiritual authenticity, in biblical faith, is about a relationship with God by his grace that more and more reflects his values and priorities in our everyday life as he transforms us into the image of Christ. 

I struggle to live a spiritually authentic life every day. 

And it’s no wonder—the paths to living out our relationship with God are extremely difficult to travel. 

And really very few actually join us on these paths. Even very few who profess to follow Christ, which can be very disorienting at times. 

Sometimes the paths are difficult because of our own bad choices. Other times because of outside pressures. And these pressures can often be subtle. 

This weekend and next, we’ll be looking at four of these paths so that we can be better equipped to travel the paths to spiritual authenticity—to a faith that’s real and lived out in our everyday lives.

Photo by alexander milo on Unsplash

Here's a Practical Spiritual Growth Tool

Jesus placed growing a generous heart right at the center of our spiritual growth, and this tool will help you see if you're growing in generosity.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:19-21)

If you missed last weekend's service, we handed out what we call an Estimate of Giving Card as we do every year around this time. (You can download the card below.)

It's not a pledge card, and it's not even something to be turned in. It's a tool to take home and use.

The idea is that we do better in giving if we evaluate regularly (at least yearly) and prayerfully set a goal for our giving for the coming year. 

This is especially helpful when we're getting started in giving generously.

We're all hopefully on a spiritual growth journey, right?

We might not have the faith, at this point in our journey, to give to the level God indicates in Scripture, but we can pick a percentage and then grow in that in our discipleship journey. 

But we won't grow if we don't come back regularly to evaluate and take a new step of faith.

Download the tool below, prayerfully fill it out, go for your goal, and put the card someplace where you can review it again next year.

But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving. (2 Corinthians 8:7)

Photo by Mayur Gala on Unsplash