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Archive for the ‘Quotes’ Category

Donald Miller in “Blue Like Jazz” points out that “sinners” outside the church are often more loving than the “saints” inside. Correctly, I believe, he says people will never hear our message if they think we don’t love them; that God loves sinners and so should we by not using our acceptance as currency to purchase desired behavior.

This is a true message, but only half the story written by someone with no children, spouse, or responsibility for anyone but himself. A parent or pastor would most likely have an additional perspective.

The world accepts the quirky because the world is quirky — even religious views are considered by most of the world as just one more quirk. All have quirks bundled in various combinations and God does accept us and love us, quirks and all. But the other half of the story (outside Donald’s book) is that some quirks like profanity, inebriation, immorality, and such, are actually harmful.

Those with responsibility to protect flock or family can’t allow harmful quirks to be unchecked.

Determining which quirks are benign and which are not is where families and churches get their distinctions — and are not always bad.

The role of family and church is not evangelism but protection and nourishment. It is the responsibility of each member to evangelize with the love of Christ for all.

— fritz

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John Ortberg

John Ortberg

“The central promise in the Bible is not ‘I will forgive you,’ although of course that promise is there. It is not the promise of life after death, although we are offered that as well. The most frequent promise in the Bible is ‘I will be with you.'”

– John Ortberg, God is Closer Than You Think pg.16

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Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection

Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection

It is said there are three (3) stages in life: 1) Struggling; 2) Just coming out of struggle; 3) Just headed into struggle. There are, however, ways to mitigate the difficulties. Psalm 37 lists six (6).

Fourth on the list:

“Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him and he shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.” – Psalm 37:5-6

This Hebrew word translated, “commit”, literally means to “roll” and the word, “way”, literally means “journey, path, road, habits”. We all develop “ways” and once set they are hard, sometimes impossible, to change; but they can be “rolled” onto Christ for him to change.

Nicholas Herman, better known as “Brother Lawrence”, lived in a french monastery during the 17th century. People would visit him to learn how to experience God and these conversations were captured in the little book, The Practice of the Presence of God. It tells how Brother Lawrence rolled his ways onto the Lord.

Facing a task he would pray, “Lord, I can not do this unless Thou enablest me”. He, then, would have the strength to accomplish the need. When he experienced some failure he would confess his fault openly and pray, “God, I shall never do otherwise, if You leave me to myself; ’tis you who must hinder my failling, and mend what is amiss.” After doing this he let it go.

Step #4: Roll your journey onto Christ. He can accomplish anything!”

— fritz
1. Step #1 – Fret not, 02/21/2013
2. Step #2 – Trust and do, 02/22/2013
3. Step #3 – Delight in the Lord, 02/23/2013

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