Sometimes I would like to ask God why He allows poverty, suffering, and injustice when He could do something about it.” “Well, why don’t you ask Him?” “Because I am afraid He would ask me the same question.

Anonymous 

As far as I can tell biblically, it doesn’t matter what you get out of worship, its not for you. It’s supposed to be something you offer, not something you receive…Many of us fall into these same patterns of thinking when we approach Christian community and our relationship with God. How did we get to the place where church is primarily for “me” and a place I go to “get” something from it?

Darren Whitehead and Jon Tyson in Rumors of God pg. 94

It is clear from the New Testament that the ethical example if Christ is secondary to and dependent upon the primary and unique work of Christ for us.

Graeme Goldsworthy

For Paul, money, power, and love-three of the main physical, spiritual, and emotional motivators of the heart-all find their truest expression in Christ. In Christ alone are true wealth, true intimacy, and true power.

Darrin Patrick in Church Planter pg. 134

How would someone answer the question, “What is the major difference between Christianity and other religions?” Would their answer be grace or that Christians are judgmental?…the good news that Jesus was a friend to sinners has been lost in our time. It breaks my heart that Christians are not defined by the scandalous grace of Jesus. Grace is a hallmark of Jesus’ ministry.

Jon Tyson and Darren Whitehead in Rumors of God pg. 64-65

Paul waged war against indwelling sin, and he worked hard in ministry, but he did both in dependence on Christ and the power that comes through living union with Him.

Jerry Bridges in The Gospel for Real Life pg. 162

God does not desire the things we can do for Him. God desires fellowship with us. God does not want religious duty and obligation, He wants us to respond to Him with gratitude and love

I often hear people say, “We don’t love God because we don’t love what He loves.” We’re selfish and inwardly focused. We need to recover the Missio Dei, the mission of God. When we are swept into the mission of God then we will recover our love for God.

Jon Tyson and Darren Whitehead in Rumors of God pg. 57

If we’re not careful, the current of the world will carry us along. Without knowing it, we will close off our lives to the radical movement of God’s Spirit and Kingdom. If you keep living like you are now, what will be the outcome of your life? Apart from a financial, relational, or health crisis, you have probably established your values, patterns, and behaviors-your own personal brand of life. So apart from some major unforeseen crisis, you’ll continue on the same path.

You might tweak your life a little, you might upgrade a bit; but, for the most part, you’re going to keep living as you’re living right now for the rest of your life. We map out the way we want things to go and manage our lives to make sure they get there. Instead of being open to the promptings of the Spirit, God stepping into our lives seems more like an interruption than an intervention. We really only want God to step in if He gives us what we want. But Jesus calls us to a better way. Another dream. Beyond what is simply plausible to what is possible. Breaking free from our past or even our present to a whole new way of life-an unimagined future.