“There’s love at the heart of our storms. If you turn to God through faith in Christ, he won’t let you sink. Why not? Because the only storm that can really destroy — the storm of divine justice and judgment on our sin and evil — will never come upon you. Jesus bowed his head […]
“If you have a God who is nothing but wrath, and if you have little understanding of what happened on the cross, you’ll be a driven person. You’ll try very hard to be moral . . . but you will always feel unworthy. It will be hard to grow into a loving person, because fear […]
“The love John speaks of is one built not on sentimentality but in concrete acts of care — care that intersects the true wounds and needs of those around us. The scandal of Christianity is that we love and encounter God through people. . . . If the love we claim to have doesn’t lead […]
“One of [the powers’] characteristics in their rebellious state is to separate us from love — love of God and love for each other through deception, division, and depersonalization. Why? Because love must be grounded in reality, nurtured in unity, and protected through the compassionate valuing of a person’s worth and dignity.”- Rich Villodas Rich […]
“God is love, but if we get it turned around and make being loved into our god, we get lost in self. Death of self is always the pulse that keeps love alive.”- Ann Voskamp “But whoever is united with the lord is one with him in spirit.”- 2 Corinthians 6:17 (NIV) Ann Voskamp concludes […]
“Loving people who are hard to love is difficult because it’s true love; we unconditionally give, knowing we will receive nothing in exchange. It’s love’s greatest challenge. but that’s exactly what Jesus asks of us.”- Kyle Idleman Kyle Idleman concludes Chapter 9 of One At a Time with a wry observation about greeting cards. Pastor […]
“The solution for loneliness is love. Specifically, the love of a good God who sees you, sympathizes with you and possess the power to do something about your loneliness.”- Annie Lent “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice! Let your gently spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious […]
“It’s (opening toward God) like throwing your faith a lifeline. Every wonderful thing in your life is a gift from God, an expression of his heart toward you. . . . Every moment you have ever been happy, thrilled, comforted, hopeful . . . that was God loving you. Such gifts come from no other […]
“Our souls need transition time. Especially in this world. We still find God in the transitions. Notice that in the Gospels, it was during those transition times the disciples got to have Jesus to themselves; the intimacy was in those moments. . . . there is a sweetness to downtime, even if it is brief. […]
“God has an everlasting covenant of love, forgiveness of sins, and eternal inheritance for those who have a new covenant name in Him. This might not look like a physical name change, but it will always be a spiritual one, as we show evidence of a changed lifestyle and devotion to God.”- Esther Fleece Allen […]
“Finding the new life of love, joy, and peace the Bible promises requires less obsession and more devotion. I can’t possibly overstate that truth. . . . obsessions cannot do what we want them to; they can’t deliver us from the old life and move us into the new. We have to put God at […]
“The love Christ Jesus gave/ Be filling every heart for me,/ The love Christ Jesus gave/ Filling me for everyone.”- Traditional Scottish blessing, Nineteenth Century In Chapter 1 (“Blessing in the Beginning”) of Given: The Forgotten Meaning and Practice of Blessing, author Tina Boesch relates a conversation she had with a Turkish friend while living […]