I want to encourage you to read the following quote slooooowly and then to reflect upon the implications for when churches gather… “We love God because he has revealed the gospel to us, so it is natural that our expression of love would be framed by the contours of his redemptive work. Worship is our love response to his loving provision, so nothing is more … Continue reading Worship shaped by the contours of God’s redemptive work
the following is a fabulous quote by John Stott based on Gal 6:7 : “Sow a thought, reap an act; sow an act, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character reap a destiny” Continue reading Reaping a destiny
I’ve finally got round to reading J.C. Ryle’s classic Holiness. Here is a quote that captures the piercing writing style of Ryle: “Heavy must that weight of human sin be that made Jesus groan and sweat drops of blood in agony at Gethsemane, and cry at Golgotha, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46). Nothing, I am convinced, will astonish us … Continue reading Heavy must that weight of human sin be…
A couple of days ago I started reading Jonathan Leeman’s book One Assembly. It is a really well written book and is deeply thought provoking! Here is is summary quote at the end of a long chapter on ‘what is the church?’: “What is a church? It’s an embassy of Christ’s kingdom. It’s a group of Christians who together identify themselves and each other as … Continue reading What is a church?
This quote from Scott Sauls is so wonderful in it’s description of true friendship: “Real friends see each other as long-term companions and give to each other the rare gift of long-term loyalty. Instead of using each other, they serve each other. Instead of keeping score with each other, they support, champion, encourage, serve, forgive, and strengthen each other. In real friendship, the flourishing of … Continue reading What does a real friend look like?
Here are some startling words written by J.I. Packer in the forward to a reprint of John Owen’s book Death of Death. Read these words slowly and then gulp when the reality that they were first penned in 1959 (yep 1959!) hits you: There is no doubt that Evangelicalism today is in a state of perplexity and unsettlement. In such matters as the practice of … Continue reading A new (another) gospel and why it really matters
Let me be clear, I’m very grateful for zoom, skype and more lately google meet. They have enabled a kinda of face-to-face meetings in a season of pandemic, lock-downs and growing isolation. However, I think the following quote from Scott Sauls sums up why I’m looking forward to ditching zoom (well mainly) and reengaging in true cheek to jowl community. “Unlike true friendship, relating to … Continue reading Why I can’t wait to ditch zoom
“This withdrawal of theology from the world of secular affairs is made more complete by the work of biblical scholars whose endlessly fascinating exercises have made it appear to the lay Christian that no one untrained in their methods can really understand anything the Bible says. We are in a situation analogous to one about which the great Reformers complained. The Bible has been taken … Continue reading Quote: Why we need a fresh reformation
Currently I’m re-reading Thomas a Kempis’ ‘The Imitation of Christ’. Here is a thought that I need to more fully embrace: “These two wings will lift you high above earthly things: simplicity and purity*. Simplicity of intention is after God’s own heart; purity of affection sees him and tastes him.” *if you stop reading at this point, it would be easy to see this as … Continue reading Simplicity and purity
Here is a wonderful quote from C.S. Lewis about importance of understanding our humanity in the context of God’s saving work. “It is not an abstraction called Humanity that is to be saved. It is you… your soul, and in some sense yet to be understood, even your body, that was made for the high and holy place. All that you are… every fold and … Continue reading Every fold and crease of your indiviuality
