This Sunday’s readings: John 16:4-11

Reflections

It’s easy to see God in the exceptional things, but it requires a culture of spiritual discipline to see God in the details.
~ Oswald Chambers, 1874-1917

A man’s social and spiritual discipline must answer to his corporeal. He must lean on a friend who has a hard breast, as he would lie on a hard bed. He must drink cold water for his only beverage. So he must not hear sweetened and colored words, but pure and refreshing truths. He must daily bathe in truth cold as spring water, not warmed by the sympathy of friends.
~ Henry David Thoreau

The general human failing is to want what is right and important, but at the same time not to commit to the kind of life that will produce the action we know to be right and the condition we want to enjoy. This is the feature of human character that explains why the road to hell is paved with good intentions. We intend what is right, but we avoid the life that would make it reality.
~ Dallas Willard, Philosopher/Author

Loving our enemies also teaches us that the gospel is bigger and more important than any other issue. It trumps all divisions, prejudices, and hatred. The gospel is more important than any personal or political issues you may have with others.
~ John S. Leonard, Get Real: Sharing Your Everyday Faith Every Day

Never allow your ego to diminish your ability to listen.
~ Gary Hopkins, The Master Within

This Sunday’s readings: John 16:12-15

Reflections

If we think of the Holy Spirit only as an impersonal power or influence, then our thought will constantly be, how can I get hold of and use the Holy Spirit; but if we think of Him in the biblical way as a divine Person, infinitely wise, infinitely holy, infinitely tender, then our thought will constantly be, ‘How can the Holy Spirit get hold of and use me?’
~ R. A. Torrey, 1856-1928, Pastor, Educator, Writer

The matter is quite simple. The Bible is very easy to understand. But we Christians are a bunch of scheming swindlers. We pretend to be unable to understand it because we know very well that the minute we understand we are obliged to act accordingly. Take any words in the New Testament and forget everything except pledging yourself to act accordingly. My God, you will say, if I do that my whole life will be ruined. How would I ever get on in the world?
~ Soren Kierkegaard, 1813-1855, Danish Philosopher/Theologian

A writer who says that there are no truths, or that all truth is ‘merely relative,’ is asking you not to believe him. So don’t.
~ Roger Scruton, Modern Philosophy: An Introduction and Survey

Lord Peter Wimsey complains, “When I was a boy I always hated facts. Thought of them as nasty, hard things, all knobs.” Bunter replies, “My lord, facts are like cows. If you look them in the face hard enough, they generally run away.” … “A man was taken to the zoo and shown the giraffe. After gazing at it a little in silence: ‘I don’t believe it,’ he said.” Somehow, we humans interpret, dismiss or ignore the facts to keep our beliefs intact. The cows run away, and we don’t believe our lying eyes as we gaze at the giraffe.
~ Dorothy Sayers (1893-1957), English writer and essayist