One of my realizations in such an earthy atmosphere was that many of the burning theological issues in the church were neither burning nor theological.

The Christ within who is our hope of glory is not a matter of theological debate or philosophical speculation. He is not a hobby, a part-time project, a good theme for a book, or a last resort when all human effort fails. He is our life, the most real fact about us. He is the power and wisdom of God dwelling within us.

Let us be bold enough to ask ourselves as Christians whether the Church of the Lord Jesus in the United States has anything to say to our nation and its ideologies of materialism, possessiveness, and the worship of financial security. Are we courageous enough to be a sign of contradiction to consumerism through our living faith in Jesus Christ? Are we committed enough to his gospel to become a countercurrent to the drift?

The unwounded life bears no resemblance to the Rabbi.

The life of Jesus suggests that to be like Abba is to show compassion. Donald Gray expresses this: "Jesus reveals in an exceptionally human life what it is to live a divine life, a compassionate life.

The deepest desire of our hearts is for union for God. God created us for union with himself. This is the original purpose of our lives.

In my experience, self-hatred is the dominant malaise crippling Christians and stifling their growth in the Holy Spirit.