Theology of the Body – The New Ethos

Christ begins his teaching about lust with a reference to the law of Moses: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’” As Christ indicates, all those gathered on the mount to hear his words were certainly familiar with this norm. However, Christ’s further words, “But I say [...]

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Battle for Purity – Going Beyond Excellence

Question: What’s your aim in life — excellence or obedience?
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
+ Jesus, Matthew 5:48
To aim for obedience is to aim for perfection, not “excellence,” which is actually something less.
* * *
Excellence is a mixed standard, while obedience is a fixed standard. We want to shoot for [...]

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The Call of the Shepherd

Thus says the Lord God: Ah, you shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fatlings; but you do not feed the sheep. You have not strengthened the weak, you have not healed the sick, [...]

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We Praise What We Enjoy

WE PRAISE WHAT WE ENJOY!

We praise what we enjoy because the delight is incomplete until it is expressed in praise. If we were not allowed to speak of what we value and celebrate what we love and praise what we admire, our joy would not be full.
–John Piper, Desiring God.

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To Be a Brother of Jesus

My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.
+ Luke 8:21

Jesus you speak to me through the words of the gospels. May I respond to your call today. Teach me to recognize your hand at work in my daily living.

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Die to Lust – Be Raised to New Life!

The Resurrected Christ

You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
+ Jesus, Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:27-28, 48)

If we do [...]

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Seeking the Lost

by jek in the box on flickr.com

The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.

–Matthew 19:10

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Yet I am not alone …

But a time is coming, and has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.
I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. [...]

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Be Perfect!

“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
+ Matthew 5:48
I find a good many people have been bothered by what I said in the previous chapter about Our Lord’s words, ‘Be ye perfect.’ Some people seem to think this means ‘Unless you are perfect, I will not help you’; and as we cannot [...]

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Obedience – The Way to Know

“Obedience Unto Death” by Rita Ford

The golden rule for understanding spiritually is not intellect, but obedience. If a man wants scientific knowledge, intellectual curiosity is his guide; but if he wants insight into what Jesus Christ teaches, he can only get it by obedience.
+ Oswald Chambers, “My Utmost for His Highest”

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