Three hundred years ago, a refugee community turned into a missions force under Count Zinzendorf's leadership. It can happen again. -Samuel Whitefield

"I am a slave in Christ to this faraway people for the indescribable glory of 'everlasting life which is in Jesus Christ our Lord.'" Patrick

When Paul speaks of reigning in life, he's talking about this life and the next one, not just the next one. Reigning in this life is about overcoming slavery to sin by the power of the grace of God. It's about being joyfully free to live righteous. Living holy by God's grace isn't some sort of unfortunate puritanical existence. It's the only way to true, joyous freedom. -Derek Kistner

You know you're self righteous if you never apologize. The self righteous never apologize. -Leonard Ravenhill

Christ's cross reveals not only the beauty of Jesus, the glory of God, and selfless love, but also our depravity. -Matt Candler

The reason they crucified Jesus (they crucified Him for who He was) was the very reason the Father resurrected Him. -Bob Sorge

At the cross we wondered, “What kind of Father are You?” At the resurrection we found out—He’s lavishly benevolent and generous! -Bob Sorge

Anne Lamott — 'You can safely assume you've created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do.'

Scripture indicates that for all eternity we'll relate to a Jesus with holes in His hands and side. For all eternity, we'll look at His hands and remember what our sin did to Him. But we'll only feel loved, never condemned. -Derek Kistner

Sons and Bastards – Bob Sorge

Steph and I are leading worship at Trinity church in Morton tomorrow for anyone interested.

"The world will never believe in a religion in which there is no power. A rationalized faith, a socialized church, and a moralized gospel may gain applause, but they awaken no conviction and win no converts." Samuel Chadwick

"A true prayer is an inventory of wants, a catalog of necessities, a revelation of hidden poverty" -Charles Spurgeon

Unfortunately, such an approach (Inaugurationalism) inherently negates a theology of the cross as the standard of this age. Akin to its dominionistic ancestor, inaugurationalism promises the resurrection and the abundant life now. 

If Jesus truly inaugurated the new creation, wherein the curse is overturned, then we foremost ought to campaign for the deposing of wicked kings, for environmental restoration, for gender equality, etc. If the resurrection has already begun, then where is the impetus to take up our cross in this life (see Luke 9:23 and parallels)? Why should we be those who “endure pain while suffering unjustly” (1 Peter 2:19)? Why should we rejoice in persecution (Matt. 5:12; Acts 5:41)? Why should we lay down our lives as Jesus did (John 15:13; 1 John 3:16)? What is the purpose of being the scum of the earth in this age, paraded around like those condemned to die in the arena (1 Cor. 4:9–13)? Why should we love our lives not unto death (Rev. 12:11)? Why should we “always carry around in our body the death of Jesus” (2 Cor. 4:10, NIV)? And why are we “always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake” (v. 11, NIV)? Why should we “share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings” (2 Cor. 1:5), being “united with him in a death like his” (Rom. 6:5), rejoicing “insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings” (1 Peter 4:13), “filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions” (Col. 1:24), “becoming like him in his death” (Phil. 3:10)? Why should we sell our possessions and give to the needy (Luke 12:33; Acts 2:45), joyfully accepting the confiscation of our property (Heb. 10:34)? Why should we soberly prepare our minds for grievous trials, setting our hope fully on the grace to be brought to us at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:6– 13)? 

If our inheritance has already begun, why then should we heed Paul’s radical exhortation to forsake living for this age in every way? -"What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away."(1 Cor. 7:29–31, NIV)

-John Harrigan

In the garden we hid in our shame, but Jesus, bearing our disgrace, hung naked on a cross, that we might be clothed with His righteousness. -Allen Hood

Occasionally weep deeply over the life you hoped would be. Grieve the losses. Then wash your face. Trust God. And embrace the life you have. -John Piper

To understand Jesus, yes, one must grasp not only the Old Testament, but also the Jewish Apocalyptic tradition that He continually affirmed. -Joel Richardson

Sheep Among Wolves: Volume One

The truly staggering answer which the Bible gives to this question is that God's purpose in revelation is to make friends with us. It was to this end that he created us rational beings, bearing his image, able to think and hear and speak and love; he wanted there to be genuine personal affection and friendship, two-sided, between himself and us; a relationship not like that between a man and his dog, but like that of a father to his son, or a husband to his wife. Loving friendship between two persons has no ulterior motive; it is an end in itself. And this is God's end in revelation. He speaks to us simply to fulfill the purpose for which we were made; that is, to bring into being a relationship in which he is a friend to us, and we to him, he finding his joy in giving us gifts and we finding ours in giving him thanks. JI - Packer 

Dry doctrine, without the damping of the Spirit of God, may only make fuel for your eternal destruction - Spurgeon

In marriage, do for your spouse what God did for you in Jesus, and the rest will follow. -Timothy Keller

Jesus is the full and final message to humanity about God. -Mike Bickle

God designed atonement to elicit a response of love; there we see the greatness of love’s path and give way to all its implications. The cross sanctifies us for Christ; we consider the honor and delight of loving Him and knowing Him to be above all earthly honors and joys. To ponder the excellencies of Christ displayed on Calvary is to find the wellspring of all charitable emotion. Behold what manner of love! -Allen Hood

If Jesus preached the same message minister's preach today, He would have never been crucified. -Leonard Ravenhill

Trump and Hillary front-running is the Lord's way of holding up a mirror to Americans saying: "This is what you've become. Repent." -Dalton Thomas