Encouragements: Late Reflections From New Word Alive

Although the weather in West Wales was much less enjoyable than that of South Portugal, where I was with a friend the preceding week, it managed to be a most helpful breath of fresh air. 1 John and Romans:6-8,12 was where much of the study focus was.

Some Stories:

It's recorded that Spurgeon was once at an ecumenical with a preacher who gave a rather lengthy sermon roughly along the line of, 'Perfectionism and how I achieved it'. A heated debate soon picked up but to the surprise of many Spurgeon said nothing. The next morning, however, at breakfast he walked over to the minister and with a jug of milk in his hand emptied its content onto this man's head... The gentleman was seen to react in tune with his fallen nature.

John Newton tells a story about a man en-route on a carriage to the nearby town to inherit a huge sum of money. A mile away however one of the wheels falls off. The man is seen and heard to walk in strop the rest of the way murmuring how frustrating it is that his carriage wheel had broken off. Newton related the man to a Christian’s usual attitude towards our current condition.

I know of a group of secondary school boys who began playing 'British Bulldog' almost every lunch time. But because of all the injuries the teachers tried to ban it. The next morning registration a note from the Head is read out.
'British Bulldog is now forbidden to be played during school lunch times.'
Yet that same day the dinner ladies were out trying to stop the boys mid-game.
'What game are you playing'
'English Bulldog miss!'
The morning registration notes continued, 'No British or English Bulldog.'
Again that lunch time the boys in their torn clothes are asked wat they are playing.
'European Bulldog Miss.'
The following day, 'No Miss, we're just playing line to line.'

Some quotable quotes:

Abound in grace not bound by the law, that we may reign in full life.

You do not get rid of condemnation with sanctification but with justification once and for all.

'Are you trying to impress God?', 'No, I've found someone who has done it for me!'

All eyes are on on the offering we bring, the perfect unblemished lamb of Christ. We need not worry about how tattered our state is as we hold out what which we have been freely given.

Jesus said, 'I AM THE WAY!' you don't need a way to the way.

Commend Jesus not as useful but precious. Christ died that we may fellowship in the glory of God forever, any lesser thought is idolatry.

Love the world to save the sinner not to take part in the sinners sin.

We are called to lower the culture shock for when we get to heaven.

Tolerance cannot be bought at the price of truth.

Rom1: I've got a truth, you've got a lie; LET'S SWAP!