“The truth is that Jesus didn’t come to raise the bar.”

A thought by Larry Osborne, (2009-04-04) from his book, Accidental Pharisees: Avoiding Pride, Exclusivity, and the Other Dangers of Overzealous Faith (Kindle Locations 958-959). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book)

Larry goes on, “He didn’t come to weed out the losers. He came to turn losers, laggards, and enemies into full-on sons and daughters of God.”

That is so good to hear. That is really good news.

He then says, “He will judge, and it won’t be pretty when he does. But he prefers to pursue and to forgive. That’s why he cried out on the cross, ‘Father, forgive them, they do not know what they do.’ That’s why he warned the Laodiceans one last time. That’s why he still hasn’t come back in fiery judgment. Jesus is not slow in keeping his promise to return and judge. He’s patient. He doesn’t want any to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. And that includes the hard-core sinner, the lukewarm, and even so-called consumer Christians. That’s why I find our current disdain for the less-than-fully-committed so perplexing. I think Jesus does too.”

And I’m so glad that he is so patient. I have a lot of friends and some family who haven’t found how Jesus can truly make a difference in their life. They are going through life making choices with their own ability. They haven’t found that as the psalmist says, “The Lord watches over the path of the godly.” No that doesn’t mean he is ready to zap us when we make a mistake it means he is ready to show us and protect us and prod us and accept us even when we do make a mistake. I love living with the confidence that he is there watching over me. And I mean that in a positive way.

So are you living with that confidence?

Comments

“We believe it’s important to derive value from everything in our lives.”

A thought by Jon Tyson from his book, The Burden Is Light: Liberating Your Life from the Tyranny of Performance and Success (p. 118). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) But is that all that is important? Jon says, “We want to realize an immediate return from whatever we invest in. I am prone to this way of thinking in so many areas of my life. ‘I paid a lot for that meal, yet the portions were not that big.’ ‘I invested two hours in that movie, and it was just okay.’ ‘I went to church, but the sermon wasn’t that profound.’ We believe it’s important to derive value from everything in our lives. But beauty doesn’t fit within that framework. When Mary anointed Jesus with oil, there was an immediate outcry against her extravagant generosity. ‘It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.’ (Mark 14:5) One gospel depicts the disciples crying, ‘Why this waste?...

“Hurry and love are incompatible.”

A thought by John Mark Comer from his book, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry (p. 23). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Wow, pretty strong thought isn’t it? John says, “All my worst moments as a father, a husband, and a pastor, even as a human being, are when I’m in a hurry—late for an appointment, behind on my unrealistic to-do list, trying to cram too much into my day. I ooze anger, tension, a critical nagging—the antitheses of love. If you don’t believe me, next time you’re trying to get your type B wife and three young, easily distracted children out of the house and you’re running late (a subject on which I have a wealth of experience), just pay attention to how you relate to them. Does it look and feel like love? Or is it far more in the vein of agitation, anger, a biting comment, a rough glare? Hurry and love are oil and water: they simply do not mix.” He goes on, “Hence, in the apostle P...

"Lie 2: The more you worry about it, the better your odds of avoiding it."

A thought by Louie Giglio in his book, Winning the War on Worry (p. 5). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Here is another lie that the Enemy uses with us. And Louie says, "This is a tricky lie. Yes, we often have cause for concern and preparation. But the Enemy wants you to believe that if you worry or fret over a certain outcome long enough, you can keep something bad from happening." But this is so important to realize. He says, "The reality is worrying has never once prevented something negative from happening. Planning might. Prayer has. But worry never will." He continues, "The Enemy tells you that by worrying about a situation (or every situation) you can make your tomorrow better. Really, worry just robs you of today. Jesus implored us: 'I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body mor...

Just Continue That Thought...

Search This Blog