God doesn’t merely recruit silver-tongued orators or skilled apologists for his quest for friends. Silver and skill sometimes actually inhibit the Spirit’s efforts to find his way into a person’s consciousness. They can detract from the actual good news itself. Don Everts writes, “If they have just a thimbleful of curiosity, we could actually douse …
Seldom Right But Never in Doubt!
“Courage,” says Collin Hansen, “is not measured by how many people you can offend.” Peter, the apostle best known for his overconfident bluster, learned over time to share his hope in Christ with “gentleness and respect.” When we lack these qualities we tend to condescendingly answer questions they’re not asking. Too many Christians are “seldom …
Tone Down the Condescension
“Pride,” wrote C.S. Lewis, “is the complete anti-God state of mind.” The best way to defeat arrogance is with meekness. My inadvertent response disarmed the spirit of pride and momentarily neutralized the adversary’s efforts to keep him incarcerated behind his wall. The Spirit slightly lifted the spiritual barrier like venetian blinds and let a little …
An Uncommon Combination of Clout and Compassion (Part 1 of 2)
Roman centurions had clout––and plenty! But not many were accused of an overabundance of compassion. Sanctioned by the most powerful empire on earth, wherever they roamed, they wielded the limitless authority of Rome. The Jews and all other occupied lands lived under the thumb of the state and in fear of the army’s oft-capricious tactics. …
Continue reading "An Uncommon Combination of Clout and Compassion (Part 1 of 2)"
Hunting for Uncut Diamonds
Rahabs of all types reside, recreate, and work in all our spheres of influence. They may not, at first glance, look like the “sort of persons” that anyone would vote most likely to become Christians, but that’s the essence of the adventure of joining God in his quest for friends. He uses all kinds of …
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