“To suppose that whatever God requireth of us that we have power of ourselves to do, is to make the cross and grace of Jesus Christ of none effect.” John Owen
Category Archives: Quotes/Lyrics
Amiable agnostics will talk cheerfully about ‘man’s search for God.’ To me, as I then was, they might as well have talked about the mouse’s search for the cat
“Amiable agnostics will talk cheerfully about ‘man’s search for God.’ To me, as I then was, they might as well have talked about the mouse’s search for the cat.” –Surprised by Joy by C.S. Lewis
Most people spend their lives trying to make their heart’s fondest dreams come true
“Most people spend their lives trying to make their heart’s fondest dreams come true. Isn’t that what life is all about, “the pursuit of happiness”? We search endlessly for ways to acquire the things we desire, and we are willing to sacrifice much to achieve them.” Counterfeit Gods (location 213 Kindle edition) by Tim Keller
Death reveals that the world is not as it should be but that it stands in need of redemption. Christ alone is the conquering of death
“Death reveals that the world is not as it should be but that it stands in need of redemption. Christ alone is the conquering of death.” –Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Everybody has something, that if they lose it, they won’t even want to live life anymore. That is what you’re worshiping.
“Everybody has something, that if they lose it, they won’t even want to live life anymore. That is what you’re worshiping.” –Tim Keller
What is the Gospel?
What is the Gospel?
“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3–4 NIV)
God’s Intervention
“You cannot explain that except in terms of God’s intervention. Only God could have done that.”
“What have I seen God do that only He can do?”
Experiencing God (15th Anniversary Edition) by Henry T. Blackaby & Claude V. King, Chapter 4 Being God’s Servant; © 2004 by Broadman & Holman Publishers All rights reserved. Study questions © 1998 by Broadman & Holman Publishers
The Mission of the Church
“No one’s been a greater cause of misery in your life than you have. You have perpetually pursued your own happiness at the detriment of your own joy.”
“You have been the greatest enemy of your own joy.”
–The Mission of the Church by Matt Chandler
Believing the Gospel
“At the root of the human condition is a struggle for righteousness and identity. We long for a sense of acceptance, approval, security, and significance-because we were designed by God to find these things in him. But sin has separated us from God and created in us a deep sense of alienation.” Page 33
“Theologically speaking, pretending and performing are just two sophisticated ways of establishing our own righteousness. When we pretend, we are making ourselves out to be better than we are. When we perform, we are trying to please God by what we do.” Page 33
“Our souls must become deeply rooted in the truth of the gospel so that we anchor our righteousness and identity in Jesus and not in ourselves.” Page 34
“We don’t need to do anything to secure God’s love and acceptance; Jesus has secured it for us. When we embrace the gospel in this way, the infinite standard of God’s holiness is no longer fearful or intimidating. It leads to worship, because Jesus has met it for us. Our identity is in him. The good news of the gospel is not that God favors us because of who we are, but that he favors us in spite of who we are.” Page 35
-From The Gospel-Centered Life by World Harvest Mission. Download a free sample of chapter 1 here
The Gospel Propels Us to Live Missionally
“When God’s grace is working on us and in us, it will also work itself out through us. The internal renewal of our minds and hearts creates an external propulsion that moves us out in love and service to others.” page 67
“It is also the answer to your failure to love others, engage the culture, and live missionally. If the gospel is renewing you internally, it will also be propelling you externally.” page 68
“But that sense of ‘should’ has no motivational power. It was law, not gospel. It could show me what I ought to be doing, but it could not change my heart so that I actually wanted to do it.” page 68-69
“Was joyless, mechanical obedience really honoring to Jesus? Did God intend his commands to feel like drudgery? When faced with this dilemma, most people settle for either legalism (obey even though you don’t feel like it) or license (don’t obey at all). But neither of these is gospel! The gospel of God’s grace is the fuel for mission, and when we run low on that fuel, our love and service to others grinds to a halt” page 69
“It means that mission is not duty (something we ‘should do’) but a natural overflow of the gospel’s work inside of us. If you aren’t motivated to love, serve and speak the gospel to people, the answer isn’t ‘just do it,’ the answer is to examine your heart, repent of sin, and discern where your unbelief is short-circuiting the natural outward movement of the gospel. As the gospel renews your heart, it will also renew your desire to move out in faith into relationships and opportunities God places in your path.” page 69
-From The Gospel-Centered Life by World Harvest Mission. Download a free sample of chapter 1 here
The Gospel Centered Life 