Name: True Spirituality: How to Live for Jesus Moment by Moment
Author: Francis A. Schaeffer

True Spirituality: How to Live for Jesus Moment by Moment

by Francis A. Schaeffer

What it's about

Francis Schaeffer argues that true spirituality is not about following a rigid set of religious rules but living in a moment-by-moment relationship with God. He challenges the reader to move beyond mere intellectual belief to a practical, daily reality where the power of the crucified and risen Christ transforms every thought and action.

Key ideas

Practical contentment: A quiet, thankful heart in the present moment serves as the ultimate test of whether you are truly submissive to God or still trying to place yourself at the center of the universe.
Constant reality of the Cross: The work of Christ is not just a past event for salvation but a continuing reality that must be applied to your life every single day.
Freedom from status: You do not need to seek validation through your social standing or accomplishments because your worth is found entirely in your position before the living God.
Active love for others: Genuine spirituality requires loving everyone, including your enemies, by treating them as real people and maintaining honest communication in the current moment.

You'll love this book if...

You struggle with the gap between what you believe intellectually and how you actually live your daily life.
You are looking for a straightforward, non-legalistic approach to walking with God that focuses on internal attitudes rather than external habits.

Best for

Christians who feel stuck in a routine of religious duty and want to experience a more authentic, moment-by-moment connection with God.

Books with the same vibe

The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer
Celebration of Discipline by Richard J. Foster
The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

10 popular highlights from this book

Key Insights & Memorable Quotes

The most popular highlights from True Spirituality: How to Live for Jesus Moment by Moment, saved by readers on Screvi.

A quiet disposition and a heart giving thanks at any given moment is the real test of the extent to which we love God at that moment.

The Lord calls us to love all people, including those who are enemies of the gospel and those who blaspheme. This may not be comfortable, and it may not be easy, but this is the gospel of Christ, for He loved His enemies so much that He died to save us.

The Cross of Christ is to be a reality to me not only once for all at my conversion, but all through my life as a Christian. True spirituality does not stop at the negative (death), but without the negative - in comprehension and in practice - we are not ready to go on.

As a Christian I do not have to find my validity in my status, or by thinking myself above other men. My validity and my status are found in being before the God who is there.

I am not a Bible-believing Christian in the fullest sense simply by believing the right doctrines, but as I live in practice in this supernatural world.

God has made us with proper desires, but if there is not a proper contentment on my part, to this extent I am in revolt against God, and of course revolt is the whole central problem of sin. When I lack proper contentment, either I have forgotten that God is God, or I have ceased to be submissive to him. We are now speaking about a practical test to judge if we are coveting against God. A quiet disposition and a heart giving thanks at any given moment is the real test of the extent to which we love God at that moment.

Sweeping out of the inward positive reality, there is to be a positive manifestation externally. It is not just that we are dead to certain things, but we are to love God, we are to be alive to Him, we are to be in communion with Him, in this present moment in history. And we are to love men, to be alive to men as men, and to be in communication on a true personal level with men, in this present moment in history.

The principle of saying no to self lies at the heart of my attitude toward the world as it maintains its alien stand in rebellion against the Creator.

Christ is with those in paradise now. But Christ—the same Christ, with the same reality—promises the Christian that he will bring forth fruit through us in this life now. The power of the crucified, risen, and glorified Christ will bring forth this fruit through us now.