Welcome the Bruises
“After conversion we need bruising so that reeds may know themselves to be reeds, and not oaks. Even reeds need bruising, by reason of the remainder of pride in our nature, and to let us see that we live by mercy. Such bruising may help weaker Christians not to be too much discouraged, when they see stronger ones shaken and bruised. Thus Peter was bruised when he wept bitterly (Matt. 26:75). This reed, till he met with this bruise, had more wind in him than pith when he said, ‘Though all forsake thee, I will not’ (Matt. 26:33). The people of God cannot be without these...
read moreJohn Stott on Suffering: If it were not for the Cross…
“I could never believe in God, if it were not for the cross… In the real world of pain, how could one worship a God who was immune to it? I have entered many Buddhist temples in different Asian countries and stood respectfully before the statue of Buddha, his legs crossed, arms folded, eyes closed, the ghost of a smile playing round his mouth, a remote look on his face, detached from the agonies of the world. But each time after a while I have had to turn away. And in imagination I have turned instead to that lonely, twisted, tortured figure on the cross, nails through...
read moreTake Hold of the World for God
E.M. Bounds wrote this about pastors/preachers. Where he referred specifically to the preacher, I have inserted [Christian], because I believe this truth applies just as well to every child of God striving to live his/her life to the glory of God: “The [Christian] must impersonate the gospel. Its divine, most distinctive features must be embodied in him. The constraining power of love must be in the [Christian] as a projecting, eccentric, an all-commanding, self-oblivious force. The energy of self-denial must be his being, his heart and blood and bones. He must go forth as a man among...
read moreThe Surprises of Perfection
“No one has yet discovered the word Jesus ought to have said, none suggested the better word he might have said. No action of his has shocked our moral sense. None has fallen short of the ideal. He is full of surprises, but they are all the surprises of perfection. You are amazed one day by his greatness, the next by his littleness. You are quite amazed that he is incomparably better than you could have expected. He is tender without being weak, strong without being coarse, lowly without being servile. He has conviction without intolerance, enthusiasm without fanaticism, holiness...
read moreJ.I. Packer is a Badass.
HT: JT Part 1: Knowing Your stuff Packer talks about theological training in a climate of cultural scepticism. Part 2: The Faith Taught Not Caught Packer talks about the challenge of being a pastoral theologian. Part 3: Training the Congregation Packer talks about the greatest challenges facing Christian ministers...
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