The Truth Shall Set You Free.....

Mark Gali has written "Jesus Mean and Wild", I'd prefer Jesus Holy and Wild, but I do like and recommend the book. After the title it says " the unexpected love of an untamable God". This is a good description of the book.

He starts with a quote from St. Isaac of Syria:

"It is a spiritual gift from God for a man to perceive his sins."

Some of the things said in the chapter that challenged and encouraged me are.

"The fact that some days I can hardly imagine my need to repent just shows how shallow my faith has become-- as if it's mostly about religious and social graces and the occasional act of mercy."

"The first step toward God is a step away from the lies of the world", Eugene Peterson.

"Shame indeed there is when each makes known his sins, but that shame, as it were, ploughs his lands, removes the ever-recurring brambles, prunes the thorns, and gives life to the fruits which he believed were dead...If you plough after this fashion, you will sow spiritual seed. Plough that you may get rid of sin and gain fruit." Ambrose

Relating shame to an athlete who has made a mistake and been called on it:
"But when such things happen, wise athletes don't go into a funk, wallowing in their mistakes. They let the shame and guilt do it's work: motivate them to play better."

and finally:

"For it is a grievous thing not to believe in the hope of repentance"



The truth is that "there is no good thing dwelling in me, in my flesh" I need to continually live with an awareness of this along with the truth that, " there is therefore now, no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus."

What a wonderful God we have. He knows our deepest secrets and the ugliness or our hearts, and yet He loves us and showed His love on the cross.

God is gentle and loving and kind, He is also strong enough to save us. And he loves us too much to pamper us.

Help me God not to seek pampering, but the truth that will lead me to a greater understanding of and knowledge of you. And keep me from pampering myself.