JONATHAN R. BAILEY

Exile

Exile is separation from everything that clings to us, in order that we may cling totally to God.

Jonathan R. BaileyAugust 11, 2018

Repetition and Progression

We don't make our ascent by climbing in a single direction, we circle round and round as we scale higher and higher.

Jonathan R. BaileyAugust 4, 2018Repetition, Progression

Deepen or Derail

It’s an inescapable truth, how we respond to affliction will significantly shape the person we become.

Jonathan R. BaileyJuly 26, 2018Pain, Suffering

Growing Glory

All the conflict we feel inside our bodies will soon die away but until then what all this angst really means is that we’re cramped, glory is growing.

Jonathan R. BaileyJuly 21, 2018Glory

Becoming Like Christ

Christlike character is only something we can grow towards.

Jonathan R. BaileyJuly 14, 2018Christlikeness

Affliction and Glory

Affliction and glory are woven into the whole fabric of our lives.

Jonathan R. BaileyJuly 7, 2018Glory, Affliction

Seeking and Shaping

God created us in such a way that we would seek Him.

Jonathan R. BaileyJuly 1, 2018Seeking, Search

Apprentices Into Artisans

Jesus entered humanity to affirm, love, and train apprentices into artisans.

Jonathan R. BaileyJune 24, 2018Christlikeness, Incarnation

The Mystery of Pain

Their is a hiddenness, a deep mystery in pain and suffering.

Jonathan R. BaileyJune 14, 2018Suffering, Pain

The Unencumbered Life

This is the unencumbered life, a life that’s free from everything so that it may participate in anything.

Jonathan R. BaileyJune 10, 2018Simplicity

Spiritual Snares

A healthy death-to-self results in a deeper love and greater care for oneself.

Jonathan R. BaileyJune 3, 2018Mortification, Death-to-Self

The Shatterer and Accuser

Our adversary has us so focused on the part of us that is dust that we cannot see our own dignity.

TemptationJonathan R. BaileyMay 26, 2018Satan, Temptation

Our Scarred Captain

If we’d only substitute Jesus’ body for our spouse’s or worse—our child’s, we’d see the horror they saw.

Jonathan R. BaileyMay 19, 2018Suffering, Crucifixion

Our Ancient Foe

To understand temptation we have to probe its source, we have to drive towards the origin point.

Jonathan R. BaileyMay 12, 2018Temptation, Satan

Cooperating with Grace

Practicing the Spiritual Disciplines is about cooperating with grace, it's simply sowing seed upon the soil of our soul.

Spiritual DisciplinesJonathan R. BaileyMay 5, 2018Grace, Spiritual Discipline

Silence

We only have to practice silence once to recognize the depth and distraction of our soul.

Spiritual DisciplinesJonathan R. BaileyApril 28, 2018Practice, Silence

Training with Disciplines

The classical exercises of the spirit are ways that athletes of Christ have actually taken up their cross.

Flourishing Versus Flawlessness

God doesn't expect us to be flawless, He expects us to flourish.

Spiritual DisciplinesJonathan R. BaileyApril 14, 2018Sin, Spiritual Discipline

The Divine Necessity of Pain

Every profession or artform or craft involves good pain as a key ingredient to the maturation process.

MortificationJonathan R. BaileyApril 7, 2018Mortification, Spiritual Discipline

Death is a Door

This is what we have to remember about mortification. Pain, crucifixion, and death are vehicles to a new kind of life, resurrection life.

MortificationJonathan R. BaileyMarch 31, 2018Crucifixion, Resurrection