There has been a remarkable response to last week’s sermon on the Gospel & Anger. Here are a few resources that can help you gain greater understanding, wisdom, and grace to cultivate a life of peace-making and love instead of anger and conflict.
Author: Jonathan Dodson
Lewis on Discipleship (outstanding)
Those who have attained everlasting life in the vision of God doubtless know very well that it is no mere bribe, but the very consummation of their earthly discipleship; but we who have not yet attained it cannot know this in the same way, and cannot even begin to know it at all except by continuing to obey and finding the first reward of our obedience in our increasing power to desire the ultimate reward. Just in proportion as the desire grows, our fear lest it should be a mercenary desire will die away and finally be recongized as an absurdity. But probably this will not, for most of us, happen in a day; poetry replaces grammar, gospel replaces law, longing transforms obedience, as gradually as the tide lifts a grounded ship. – C. S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory
Pursuing the Real God?
We must have something to focus on, to glorify, to worship. We pursue either the real God or a created surrogate. We see these scenarios being played out over and over in the worldly world. Consuming and absorbing concerns, to while all else is subordinated, vary from person to person. If people are not pursing the real God, their passions will be for power of pleasure, money or fame, domination or drugs, ease and comfort, or a mingling of them all. their desires fill their thoughts, aspirations, and plans. They fret and fume and sometimes fight when deprived of their idols. Never do these created experiences fill their empty hearts, nor can they completely dull their inner ache and void that lurk under the surface of their lives.
~ The Evidential Power of Beauty, Dubay
Should Pastors House X-cons?
Read about the story and my response here.