God's way of making us a part of His Kingdom

"Watch the way Jesus walks through the kingdom. He is always moving toward the marginalized, the physically broken, the oppressed, and the poor. We already know that the rich are reluctant to believe in Jesus because they know it will cost them. Jesus and his followers prefer those who can never help us get a better job or increase the church budget.

Just when your storehouses had enough for tomorrow, you notice some desperate needs around you. The King is close enough to put his hand into your pocketbook and, for most Westerners, that is far too intrusive and impolite. "Go ahead and require public niceness and regular attendance at church, Lord, but remember that my money is my own!"

We get the impression that the Father prefers to keep us on the edge. This is what got us worried in the first place! His plan is to liberate us from our defensive, hoarding, tight-fisted, miserly ways, and to teach us that when we have been given the kingdom - the kingdom! - stinginess is unnatural and unbecoming. We might prefer a different strategy, but if God is molding us to be chips off the old block, his strategy makes sense. It is exactly what we need, because our greatest need is to be what we were intended to be - to be like him.

So, the Kingdom is God's and God targets the needs of those who have less than we do. In other words, not only is the kingdom about God, and not me, I don't even come in second! I am to consider others more important than myself in the kingdom. This seems like too much to ask until the King calls us his treasured possession (Ex. 19:5). He is seeking my allegiance with love, not with force and power. The reason we are called to lay up our treasures in heaven is because we are his treasure. When you are confident that you are the Father's treasured possession, you are also confident that his loving care will continue forever. Building warehouses is a waste of time and space. His gifts to you become things you want to give him back in gratitude. Then he give you even more."

(Ed Welch, Running Scared: Fear, Worry & the God of Rest, p. 133, 134)

(HT: Vit Z)

Possibly related posts from the past:


1. Inasmuch as you have not done it to the least of these my brothers.......
2. What is a Mission Hospital?
3. Sacrificial Giving
4. Tithing and Giving
5. Giving with a difference

Sacrificial Giving

"I do not believe one can settle on how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. In other words, if our expenditure on comforts, luxuries, amusements, etc., is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving away too little. If our charities do not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say they are too small. There ought to be things we should like to do and cannot do because our charitable expenditure excludes them."

(C. S Lewis in Mere Christianity)

(HT: Vit Z)

Possibly related posts from the past:

1. Tithing and Giving
2. Giving with a Difference

The World Map divided into Five, with each containing a Fifth of the World's Population

The world divided into five, with each containing a fifth of the world's population

China has a fifth of the world's population: 1.35 billion. This is how much land is required to hold each of the other fifths.

As this blogger remarks, "I’m not sure what is more amazing — how vast the area in blue is or how small the area in yellow."

(HT:22Words)

Sincere and pure devotion

Ray Ortlund talks about his recent visit to The Cove in Asheville – at the Billy Graham Training Center.

The Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove, Asheville (via)

"I wish you could have been there with us in the green room, as we gathered before each service. I saw no ego at all. They were relaxed friends, enjoying one another. But there was more. I saw a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For example, as they were discussing the music, now and then Cliff would spontaneously break out in song, and everyone would join in, right there in the planning session. I saw no distinction between planning the worship and worshiping. It was beautiful. It was heartfelt. It was real. I saw Cliff, with zero affectation, speak about his Lord with emotion breaking his voice. I saw the members of the team speak to and about one another with tears in their eyes. I saw biblical Christianity – a sincere and pure devotion to Christ flowing and overflowing."

Read the rest....

Forgiven People Forgive

Riley Cooper

"Until last week, Cooper’s was a name known only to die-hard Philadelphia Eagles fans; now it’s a household word. Last week, a video surfaced of a drunk Cooper (who is white) using a racial slur (the racial slur) while claiming he wanted to fight all of the African-Americans at a Kenny Chesney concert.

In a statement following the video’s appearance on the internet, Cooper said, “I am so ashamed and disgusted with myself. I want to apologize. I have been offensive. I have apologized to my coach, to [Eagles owner] Jeffrey Lurie, to [General Manager] Howie Roseman and to my teammates. I owe an apology to the fans and to this community. I am so ashamed, but there are no excuses. What I did was wrong and I will accept the consequences.”

To most observers, Cooper seems sincere and legitimately contrite. Only God knows, of course. But it’s not the quality of Cooper’s apology that interests me, it’s the reaction of Cooper’s teammates to the apology."

Read the rest of what happened.

The author concludes:

"To the extent that we ignore (or run from) our own sinfulness, we will be unable to care for other sinners. We will be unable to extend forgiveness to others until we are honest about the extent to which we are forgiven. The most forgiving people are those who are coming to daily, deeper terms with their own need for forgiveness. Ungracious people are those who haven’t come to grips with their own dire, daily need for grace."

(HT: Tullian)

Possibly related posts from the past:



1. The Insanity of Luther by R C Sproul
2. Everything you are in the world is of no value.....

Thank God we finally got our doctrine right!

An old cartoon by Saji George

(HT: 22 Words)

Possibly related posts from the past:

1. Three random but possibly related quotes I have read together in the past week.....

Annadurai the Autodriver

For those who missed this on my brother Prem's Facebook page:

Here is the story of a surprisingly enterprising auto-driver in Chennai, Annadurai, who seems to invest much of what he gets, into trying to give his passengers a good experience.

You could pass the time (while using his autorickshaw to make the 30 minute commute between Thiruvanmiyur and Sholinganallur) using the free wi-fi connection to surf the internet, using his tablet if you have not brought your own, watching TV, reading the various magazines he subscribes to and enrolling in the various contests he conducts. If you're lucky, you might even make the ride free!

I'd like to meet this guy!

Annadurai in his autorickshaw

Some of the deals available in Annadurai's auto

Read more.....

The Insanity of Luther by R C Sproul

Here is a priceless little lecture that I found yesterday on one of the blogs I follow.

It is the story of Martin Luther, told by a terrific story teller, R C Sproul. Actually this is the first time I have ever watched Dr Sproul speak, and I am glad to have finally found him.

In this lecture, he discusses the possibility that Martin Luther was, in fact, insane, and concludes, "Ladies and Gentlemen, If (Luther was) crazy, I pray that God would send an army of insane people like that into this world..."

Do take the time to watch this. It is certainly worth 30 minutes of your time!

(HT: Tullian Tchividjian)

 Possibly Related Posts from the past

1. Everything you are in the world is of no value.....

Apple iPhones for sale

The Truth, they say, is stranger than fiction!

Witness the story of the young lady who recently tried to buy two Apple phones
for $1200.....

Vivaldi like you've never heard before

This 14 year old plays a part of Vivaldi's "Summer" in a totally 'cool' manner



(HT: 22Words)

Possibly related posts from the past

What makes you beautiful

A beautiful collage of national anthems