Holy War and the Holy Spirit

So, when we got down to Florida, I started some reading on some books I haven't read in quite a while, some I had never finished, and some I have read who knows how many times.

First on the list was one I never thought I would ever read, or even try to read, again. This was the book that defined the beginning of our years in the Capital Scholars program at UIS, the very first book we were required to read. And, if you asked some (me included) they would tell you it was probably the hardest book we had to read throughout college.





















Holy War by Karen Armstrong. I wish I had read it back then. I skimmed it over and got out of it what was required, or at least the smallest amount I could. So, I found myself throughout college wishing I had put a lot more into it, just like all of my classes I had back then. I always thought I would get back into it, but never did. Until September. I finally picked it up again. And I've enjoyed it, believe it or not. I am about halfway through it now, and it has been very slow going for me. But I keep chugging along through it. If you have the patience for a 65 pages chapter every now and then, I recommend it. It has a lot to say about how Christianity, Judaism, and Islam interact with one another. If you tried to read it 5 years ago but couldn't, pick it up again! Give it a shot!

But that took a backseat when the books from The Voice Project came in. When I finished the first book of that project last week, I decided to read a short classic from CS Lewis.
























I picked up The Great Divorce and read it over this past weekend. What a great book. There are a lot of interesting ideas he has on Heaven and Hell and Earth. But the main point of the book is that we cannot have our evil desires and what the Holy Spirit produces. They are in a continual conflict with eachother, and we can't have both. It is so much a part of me to want to keep the things about this earth that I love but aren't honoring Christ. I think I can hold on to them and still pursue Christ with all of my heart. But it's a lie. It can't happen this way.

This reminds me of something from Galatians I read yesterday morning.

Here's how the Message puts it:

5: 16-18 - My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God's Spirit. Then you won't feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why don't you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence?

So now that I've finished that I'll go start the second book in The Voice Project and get back to you guys about how that was. A long time ago (the beginning of the year) a lot of you challenged us to read a book a week for this year. While I haven't done quite that well, I have read a lot. But I there are so many more to read!

Later guys,
Matt