Scripture repeatedly and emphatically commands us to live in love (Eph. 5:2) and to put love above and before all things (Col. 3:14, 1 Peter 4:8). It tells us that if we love, we fulfill everything else the Lord requires of us (Gal. 5:14). But that if we don’t love, nothing else we do is of any value (1 Cor. 13:1-3). Our God-like love is to be the distinguishing mark of the believer: the proof that God is real and that God is love (1 John...
Screwtape Letters – Week 10, Letters 28 – 31
Letter 28 Themes: Fear of and blessings of death; spiritual perseverance; middle aged prosperity and adversity; worldly attachments; spiritual attrition, earthly utopia. Screwtape-Letters_-28Download Letter 29 Themes: Cowardice; pride; hatred; courage; despair; God’s motive for creating a dangerous world; superstitions involving hypotheticals; relying on God alone. Screwtape-Letters_-29Download Letter 30 Themes: Duty, purpose, pride, cowardice,...
Chapter 2 – Searching for the Core
From the book Relational Holiness – Responding to the Call of Love by Thomas J. Oord and Michael Lodahl What does it mean to be holy? “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.” Inigo Montoya – Princess Bride. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wujVMIYzYXg The Apostle Paul wrote: “The very credentials these people are waving around as something special, I’m tearing up and throwing out with the trash – along...
Chapter 3 – Uncomfortable Holiness
From the book: “Uncomfortable: The Awkward and Essential Challenge of Christian Community” by Brett McCracken The Core of Holiness From Relational Holiness by Thomas Jay Oord and Michael Lodahl “When you love others, you complete what the law has been after all along… When you add up everything in the law code, the sum total is love.” (Romans 13:8-10, The Message) Apostle Paul’s letter to the Philippians identifies these...
Chapter 13 – Uncomfortable Commitment
From the book: “Uncomfortable: The Awkward and Essential Challenge of Christian Community” by Brett McCracken “I love Jesus but not the church.” “I’ll go to church but only as long as it meets my needs.” (p. 179) How often have you heard the statement “I am spiritual, just not religious”? As stated in last week’s notes, there are several factors that impact this attitude. Our radically individualistic culture. Today’s sped-up world of instant...
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