There are so many unrealistic expectations among Christians that it’s killing us. You can have a calm and quiet soul more than you do now…but you can’t do it perfectly. You’re not Home yet.
The first question in the Heidelberg Catechism is arguably the biggest question ever asked, and the answer provided is perhaps the boldest answer we could give.
My friend Bruce once said that we should never “work for God.” That sounds like heresy until you hear his explanation: “Stay his child. Working for God always has and always will stink. Being God’s son or daughter and enjoying the privileges of adoption is a blessing of unimagined proportions. Satan’s goal in your life is to have you get from son/heir to day laborer. Don’t make the trade.”
It’s never been easier to end up overwhelmed by all the injustice in the world. Just scrolling through the news feeds on our phones can leave us both stirred to action and simultaneously discouraged that our little bit will make any difference in the face of so much evil and suffering. Eddie Kaufholz is on SBE to show the way from observer to activist.
What motivates you? If it’s religion, you’ll run out of gas. If you’re trying to be good to make up for all the bad things you’ve done, quit it; God doesn’t need your help. But if it’s the breath of God, you’ll be unstoppable. Don’t miss this message from Steve.
The myth (and lie) is that in order for God to love and accept us, then we have to perform
I know what you’re saying, “I knew it! Here comes the catch. After all his teaching on grace, Steve is just like the rest. You’re free—but here are a few rules.”
This video from Ryan Reeves looks at the Great Bible of Henry VIII published in 1539, and it shows how the Tyndale translations were copied into the Coverdale and Matthew Bibles to end up making a uniquely Protestant Bible for a king who didn’t want it.
Let me give you a truth that may shock you: The most dangerous threat to your walk with God is your obedience…when you’re aware of it. Obsession with getting better is probably the biggest reason we don’t get better.
