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Living truth is stable and dependable—and also flexible and adjusted to individuals and groups in their changing situations. Truth is more a who than a what. You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Come and see.

Living truth is stable and dependable—and also flexible and adjusted to individuals and groups in their changing situations. Truth is more a who than a what. You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Come and see.

Living truth is stable and dependable—and also flexible and adjusted to individuals and groups in their changing situations. Truth is more a who than a what. You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Come and see.

Jesus was a master in the art of living. In the practical arts, he was skilled in carpentry. In the fine arts, his parables put his unforgettable touch on storytelling. The fun arts include play, sports, and humor. Examples are given from the teachings of Jesus and from other pioneers in artistic living, including Beethoven and his Ninth Symphony.

Jesus spoke of coming that we may have life and have it more abundantly--but what does this mean? After a very brief sketch, I emphasize the beauties of nature and how God provides for living things. Find an entire quick chapter on Jesus' joy in the blog post. Then to add some spice and introduce thoroughness, I turn to John Muir, a follower of Jesus who expressed his joy in nature with an inspiring eloquence. I give a taste of that in this video. But if you truly want to grow in appreciating the beauties of nature, find it in the blogpost.

This two-fold reflection portrays the risk that Jesus took by coming to John's baptism and the differences between the way of life, evil, and sin.

One goal of prayer is to find the will of God. Sometimes an impressive input comes into mind after prayer, and the person may struggle to discern whether it has come from God or from the human mind. The blogpost has ample context from chapter 7 of A Taste of Joy and Liberty: A Philosopher Encounters the Gospel of Jesus.  Truth, beauty, and goodness are qualities of God and values that we can live. They are blended in the divine answer to prayer, but we can reflect and discern them. I offer some helpful steps to transform the discernment process.

In this episode, I awaken the question by first agreeing with some criticisms of perfection as a goal and then turning to what Jesus said, "Be you perfect even as your Father in heaven is perfect." I unfold a couple of transformative implications of his present-tense imperative. Next I refer the reader to the blogpost at UniversalFamily.org and add a desert: an explanation of the photo of Jesus that I include.

On a pilgrimage to Israel, I discovered how seeing scenes of Jesus' ministry helped me remember, ponder, interpret, and commune. I brought back a placemat with 15 little scenes showing Jesus around the Sea of Galilee and on the water. After a dozen years, a couple days ago I saw these scenes in a transforming way. A couple days ago, this morning I looked at it anew; it was transforming to imagine myself in these scenes. I share this spiritual experience in the hope that those who listen will be may find creative ways to do something similar.

Jesus had an excellent, down-to-earth, realistic grasp of facts, including what we today would call scientific knowledge. He was a keen observer--fearless in facing facts, logical in his reasoning, and deeply insightful about causes and effects. Two examples show why we often fail to recognize Jesus' scientific realism. He expressed his insights in ordinary language that everyone could understand. Drawing on chapter 5 in A Taste of Joy and Liberty, the blogpost at UniversalFamily.org introduces us to ways we can apply his first-century achievement in our own times. Our world urgently needs to see scientific living and spiritual living walking hand in hand.

In speaking of the treasure hidden in a field, Jesus referred, I believe, to the kingdom of God within you. This video describes the experience of God's spirit within first by quotes from Jesus' Bible, the Hebrew Scriptures. Next, we go on to the idea that we do well to become friends with this gift of the presence of God. Finally comes the outpouring of a list of many of the blessings that await us from the inner divine source. This brief introduction is developed in the blogpost at UniversalFamily.org

I used to see my neighbor across the street in a fascinating duet that he and his two-year-old daughter had evolved. He would stand in the middle of the yard, and she would run around and play close to him and sometimes come to him and put up her arms to be picked up. The first story illustrates how we need the faith of a little child to receive the kingdom of God. Then I reflect on the gift of a loving God and the faith—living faith, receptive and active—that that enables us to receive God's loving gift. I close these thoughts by sharing the symbolism that I find in an image of a man with a funnel in his head. I created this video based on my experiences of living the ideas that I presented in chapter three in my book, A Taste of Joy and Liberty, a chapter that you can read in my introduction to that book on UniversalFamily.org.

I tell of working for months on a workshop on loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. I pose the question of how the most central truth of our relationships with God and human kind relate with the greatest commandment (to love). Finally, I make a correction in my new book, A Taste of Joy and Liberty: A Philosopher Encounters the Gospel of Jesusl

I've been on a quest to live--and write about--loving God with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength. Yesterday I sent to my editor friend a revised section on strength. She discovered weaknesses in it. It didn't take long for me to realize (this is a pattern) that she had uncovered a fresh, hungry need for my growth. After sleeping on the problem, I woke up with a breakthrough. Of course it takes longer to form the habit and acquire the virtue. But here is an indication of what I've begun to form my habit around.

The faith of a little child not only enables us to join the kingdom family of God. It also continues to guide us as we progress. Jesus's teachings and interactions on this theme are each marked by a wonderful simplicity. And these teachings in their variety touch on several concepts that are part of the whole truth of faith.