Romans 12:2

We are apt to forget that a person is not only committed to Jesus Christ for salvation, that person is also committed to Jesus Christ’s view of God, of the world, of sin and of the devil. This means that each person must recognize the responsibility to "be transformed by the renewing of your mind. . . ."

My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers (September 9th)

Altruism & Natural Selection

Altruism is the one characteristic of human behavior that destroys a key element of Darwin’s theory of evolution: that is, natural selection. According to natural selection, we would allow a disaster to weed out the unfit, the weak, and the poor—anyone who could not contribute to society. But Americans, because of our Christian heritage—a heritage that remains strong no matter how secular the nation becomes—do not behave this way. We carry our wounded off the field of battle. We risk our lives to rescue strangers. We offer food and shelter to the stranger’s child—even to prisoners. And when we do, Darwin is disproved.

Chuck Colson in the aftermath of Katrina

I accept mystery and paradox

"I accept mystery and paradox. When you've been around as long as I have, you have to. Like the Chinese philosopher riding backwards on a donkey, we live life forward, but only understand it backward."

Vernon Grounds

a new type of preacher by A.W. Tozer

If Christianity is to receive rejuvenation it must be by other means than any now being used. If the church in the second half of this century is to recover from the injuries she suffered in the first half, there must appear a new type of preacher. The proper, ruler-of-the-synagogue type will never do. Neither will the priestly type of man who carries out his duties, takes his pay and asks no questions, nor the smooth-talking pastoral type who knows how to make the Christian religion acceptable to everyone. All these have been tried and found wanting. Another kind of religious leader must arise among us. He must be of the old prophet type, a man who has seen visions of God and has heard a voice from the Throne. When he comes (and I pray God there will not be one but many) he will stand in flat contradiction to everything our smirking, smooth civilization holds dear. He will contradict, denounce and protest in the name of God and will earn the hatred and opposition of a large segment of Christendom.

A.W. Tozer

“ I must be honest.”

“ I must be honest.” “I must be true to myself.”
These words are almost always a preamble to a
speech of abandonment or betrayal.

“I want to let you know how I’ve been feeling.”
But God is Love. To be what we were created to
be, we don’t always have to give an update on
our negative emotions.

The reason it isn’t helpful to go around talking
about our healings, visions, and other spiritual
fireworks is that such conversations tend to be
separating and unloving. The little mind gets
involved, we start feeling special, and the other
person thinks he wasn’t invited to God’s party.

It should be obvious that the evidence of love,
unity, and wholeness in our lives will begin to

disappear whenever we choose to be special and separate.

Hugh Prather in Notes on Love and Courage